WORK AND PENSIONS

Carers: National Insurance Contributions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate her Department has made of the number of people in receipt of carer's allowance who may have recourse to national insurance contribution credits in accordance with the provisions of the National Insurance Contribution Credits (Transfer of Functions) Order 2009; and what estimate she has made of the monetary value of such credits in 2009-10.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 29 June 2009
	Since 1976, people receiving carer's allowance (formerly invalid care allowance) have normally been awarded National Insurance credits for weeks for which the allowance is paid unless they have a valid married women's election. The National Insurance Contributions Credits (Transfer of Functions) Order 2009 is an enabling instrument which allows HMRC to award and administer National Insurance credits on behalf of the Secretary of State. It does not provide for any new credits. However, it is anticipated that regulations will be introduced shortly which will extend the range of credits available for certain people engaged in caring from April 2010. These credits will have no monetary value in 2009-10 since they will not be available before 6 April 2010.

International Labour Organization

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Minister represented the UK at the recent International Labour Organization annual meeting.

Angela Eagle: At least one DWP Minister normally attends the annual International Labour Conference. My hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Jonathan Shaw) was scheduled to attend the 2009 event but had to withdraw at very short notice due to unforeseen parliamentary business arising on the day of his planned visit.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to reply to the letter to her predecessor of 19 March 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. J Harris.

Jim Knight: I refer my right hon. Friend to the replies given on 11 May 2009 and 21 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 571W and 1502W.

New Deal Schemes: South East

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent changes have been made to the methods of delivery of Flexible New Deal contracts in the south east district; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 29 June 2009
	None. Following the announcement of the preferred bidders on 29 May 2009 we remain committed to bringing in the Flexible New Deal Phase 1 from October 2009. At this time, Phase 1 contracts have not been let.

Pension Protection Fund

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) the UK and  (b) Tamworth constituency have claimed pension payments from the Pension Protection Fund in each year since its inception.

Angela Eagle: Information relating to the Tamworth constituency could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is as follows:
	
		
			  The cumulative number of people in the UK whose pension scheme transferred into the Pension Protection Fund 
			  Year ending 31 March  People receiving compensation  People due to receive compensation on retirement 
			 2006 Nil Nil 
			 2007 1,457 5,621 
			 2008 3,596 8,577 
			 2009 12,778 17,737

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information her Department collects on benefit claims to assist in detecting fraudulent claims.

Helen Goodman: To detect both fraud and error once a benefit claim is active within our systems we match our data against that from other sources. We do this using a range of data from both other Government Departments and private sector sources. Data are extracted from these sources at routine intervals and matched against our benefit data to identify anomalies, which are then referred for investigation.

Social Security Benefits: Low Incomes

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment her Department has made of the effect on customers from low-income socio-economic backgrounds of recent changes to the frequency of benefit payments.

Jim Knight: The changes made to frequencies and paydays are a key step in the, long-term, simplification of the benefits system. Before implementing this policy we consulted extensively with customer representative groups to ensure that customer's interests were fully considered.
	We do, however, recognise that the initial move from weekly payments to fortnightly payments may be difficult for some of our customers but have addressed this by making a repayable loan equal to the customer's weekly benefit.

Unemployment

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have registered as unemployed at Jobcentre Plus in the last six months.

Jim Knight: holding answer 8 June 2009
	The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance—on-flows onto JSA for the last six months—Great Britain 
			  Date  On-flow  Off-flow  Net difference 
			 November 2008 350,920 265,555 85,365 
			 December 2008 288,192 191,255 96,937 
			 January 2009 290,785 163,585 127,200 
			 February 2009 474,127 298,035 176,092 
			 March 2009 336,234 272,085 64,149 
			 April 2009 311,697 276,360 35,337 
			  Notes: 1. This information is published on the Nomis website at: www.nomisweb.co.uk 2. Off-flow data are rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (computer held cases only).

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK  (a) citizens and  (b) residents have been arrested by (i) British, (ii) International Security Assistance Forces, (iii) American and (iv) Afghan authorities in Afghanistan since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 16 June 2009
	No UK nationals suspected of links to the insurgency have been arrested by British forces in Afghanistan since 2001.
	Since 2004, the number of arrests on a variety of charges and not necessarily specifically linked to insurgency of UK nationals in Afghanistan by Afghan authorities is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of arrests( 1) 
			 2008-09 4 
			 2007-08 4 
			 2006-07 3 
			 2005-06 3 
			 2004-05 2 
			 (1) From 2004-08 as reported in the Consular Annual Return from the British embassy Kabul and from 2008 as reported from the Consular Assistance Database held by the British Embassy Kabul. Information on arrests prior to 2004 and on arrests made by International Security Assistance or American Forces are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Air Force: Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cannibalisations of each type of RAF aircraft there have been in  (a) each year since 2005 and  (b) the last 12 months.

Quentin Davies: The information requested covers a large number of aircraft and will take some time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete.
	 Substantive answer from Quentin Davies to Liam Fox:
	I undertook to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question of the 17 June 2009, (Official Report, column 334W) about the number of cannibalisations undertaken, broken down by each type of RAF aircraft, in each year since 2005 and in each of the last 12 months, once officials had completed collating the data.
	As I am sure you will be aware, cannibalisation is where one aircraft benefits from the removal of serviceable parts from another. It is a routine and temporary measure to ensure that the maximum number of aircraft is available for front line duty.
	The number of cannibalisations in each year since 2005 broken down by aircraft is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Harrier (all types) 530 505 862 924 
			 Tornado GR4 1,863 2,048 1,838 2,012 
			 Tornado F3(1) 872 667 667 238 
			 Typhoon 243 542 540 621 
			 Nimrod MR2 510 224 344 151 
			 Nimrod R1 48 61 41 69 
			 Sea King 270 204 115 126 
			 Tristar 154 182 126 90 
			 VC10 177 82 167 148 
			 Hercules C130K 203 167 185 207 
			 Hercules C130J 662 691 591 541 
			 Sentinel R1(2) — — 7 36 
			 Sentry 51 140 81 95 
			 BAe 125 58 49 23 46 
			 BAe146 8 9 17 15 
			 C17 40 45 39 39 
			 Dominie 161 95 46 53 
			 Hawk 415 398 241 135 
			 Tucano 4 8 32 34 
			 Vigilant 10 29 20 24 
			 Viking 4 1 2 0 
			 (1) The drop in cannibalisations for the Tornado F3 in 2008 is due to the drawdown of the force and its replacement by Typhoon. (2) Sentinel R1 did not enter service with the RAF until 2007. 
		
	
	The number of cannibalisations in each of the last 12 months broken down by aircraft is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   2008  2009 
			   Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May 
			 Harrier (all types) 82 71 58 102 89 75 61 91 45 88 55 78 
			 Tornado GR4 172 188 132 140 158 198 160 178 163 194 104 119 
			 Tornado F3 27 13 10 11 9 10 7 5 5 7 10 0 
			 Typhoon 44 61 47 59 61 36 53 36 55 80 55 22 
			 Nimrod MR2 16 7 17 14 8 8 8 5 18 14 2 6 
			 Nimrod R1 0 2 3 1 0 4 2 10 9 7 2 3 
			 Sea King 10 21 14 17 12 15 12 9 13 13 16 12 
			 Tristar 5 6 16 3 4 0 7 3 5 6 9 1 
			 VC10 14 6 6 10 19 13 10 3 4 14 7 3 
			 Hercules C130K 35 16 13 25 21 15 11 12 15 9 8 11 
			 Hercules C130J 66 48 33 57 55 37 33 42 15 24 34 17 
			 Sentinel R1(1) — — — — 2 2 12 10 7 2 4 8 
			 Sentry 4 9 3 5 7 1 3 5 3 2 13 6 
			 BAe 125 2 13 4 2 4 2 0 4 7 10 1 2 
			 BAe 146 0 1 1 0 0 5 3 5 1 0 4 0 
			 C17 3 7 5 4 3 5 4 1 3 5 3 4 
			 Dominie 17 11 5 2 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Hawk 13 14 5 7 13 14 11 13 22 37 13 26 
			 Tucano 1 3 0 1 2 2 0 0 1 2 0 2 
			 Vigilant 1 2 2 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 
			 Viking 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1. Sentinel R1 figures for June to September 2008 are not available

Army: Clothing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the merits of replacing bearskin caps worn by the Guards Regiments with caps made from synthetic material.

Quentin Davies: The Ministry of Defence has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to the use of faux fur products in military ceremonial clothing wherever a suitable alternative can be found to real fur. Examples of this include the Busby cap worn by the members of the Royal Horse Artillery and the Shako hat worn by the Rifles Regiments.
	Officials met with representatives of several potential suppliers at an Industry Day on 23 October 2008 to investigate whether the market could deliver an alternative solution to meet the Guards' requirements. Our conclusion is that industry is not currently able to produce a synthetic material with the properties required for the ceremonial cap, whose iconic design is closely associated with this nation's traditions and is recognised around the world.
	However, we remain open to testing material that industry might offer us as a potential synthetic alternative.
	—continued

Defence: Inflation Index

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in establishing a defence-specific inflation index.

Bob Ainsworth: The programme of work is on course and in April 2010, as notified to the HCDC over scrutiny of the 2006-07 annual report and accounts, the MOD will publish estimates of defence inflation for financial years 2006-07 through to 2008-09. For financial year 2009-10 a provisional estimate of defence inflation will be produced in September 2010.

Departmental Older Workers

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department will reach the age of 65 years in the year 2011.

Bill Rammell: 1,157 MOD civilian employees will reach age 65 by the beginning of the year 2011.

Nuclear Weapons: Arms Control

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received on the implications for UK defence policy of the recent statement by Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, on the disarmament of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: We believe in the vision of a world free from nuclear weapons. We are committed to working towards multilateral nuclear disarmament, and are encouraged that Russia also shares this commitment. We also welcome the fact that Russia and the US are currently engaged in negotiations over a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. As the Prime Minister announced on 17 March, we will soon be publishing further UK proposals in a "Roadmap to 2010".

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bill of Rights: Northern Ireland

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made on preparation of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland in the last six months;
	(2)  when the consultation on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland will be launched.

Shaun Woodward: The Government have been considering the proposals put forward by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for a package of new statutory rights and duties on public authorities. It is taking time to consider fully all these detailed proposals. The Government aim to publish a consultation paper after the parliamentary summer recess.

Departmental Training

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 2 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 1457-61W, on departmental training, what service was provided by Oasis training.

Shaun Woodward: Oasis is the Northern Ireland Office in-house IT network infrastructure, providing a platform for e-mail and general administration tools.

Olympic Games 2012

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any full-time equivalent members of staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) its associated public bodies are working on projects relating to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Paul Goggins: None.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Members: Allowances

Dai Davies: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much was spent on the redaction of material relating to hon. Members' allowances prior to publication; who undertook the redaction process; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines provided for the conduct of the redaction work.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 24 June 2009
	The scanning and redaction of material relating to hon. Members' allowances was undertaken by staff employed by The Stationery Office, the contractor employed for this project. Final figures are not yet available but, to the end of March 2009, the cost of redaction has been £451,966.
	The redaction was undertaken in two phases—copies of the redaction guidelines for each phase will be placed in the Library.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Ministerial Duties: Working Hours

John Redwood: To ask the Leader of the House how many hours she spent on her ministerial duties in the week commencing 21 June 2009.

Harriet Harman: I was on ministerial duty at all times.

Ministerial Duties: Working Hours

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Leader of the House how many hours between 4 May 2009 and 5 June 2009 each Minister in her Office who is also a Member of the House worked.

Harriet Harman: Ministers spend as much time as necessary to fulfil their ministerial duties.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Committee on Climate Change: Buildings

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) Display Energy Certificate and  (b) advisory report for the offices of the Committee on Climate Change at Manning House, Carlisle Place.

David Kidney: The CCC leases the fourth floor of Manning House and does not have control over the management of the building. The building managers have not as yet applied for a display energy certificate or advisory report to be undertaken, although the CCC has requested that this is done. We are therefore unable to place a copy of these in the Library. The CCC has installed carbon footprint trackers and is monitoring energy usage for its floor of the building. It has also applied to have an energy performance certificate produced for its offices. The CCC's corporate carbon management policy will be published in its annual report and accounts for 2008-09 which will be laid before both Houses' Libraries by 22 July 2009.

Fuel Poverty

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) agenda and  (b) minutes of the Fuel Poverty Summit convened by Ofgem in April 2008.

David Kidney: The Department does not hold a copy of the agenda and minutes of the summit.
	Information about the summit can be found on Ofgem's website. This includes introductory remarks from Lord Mogg, Ofgem's chairman, at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Publications/Documentsl/Action%20Programme%20for%20Energy%20Summit.pdf
	the Fuel Poverty Action Plan which was agreed at the summit at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Publications/Documents1/Fuel%20Poverty%20Summit%20Action%20Programme.pdf
	and the relevant press release at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/media/pressrel/Documentsl/FP%20Summit%20Action%20Planthrid%20final.pdf

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Beaches: Barmston

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons water samples have not been taken from the sea at Barmston in East Yorkshire in 2009; what recent representations he has received on sampling sea waters and Barmston's ability to obtain Bathing Beach Standard; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency, with the agreement of DEFRA, decided to stop sampling water quality at Barmston at the start of 2008. This decision was taken due to increased coastal erosion which placed staff under unacceptable health and safety risks when accessing the necessary sampling point.
	Barmston is an identified bathing water under the Bathing Water Directives (76/160/EEC and 2006/7/EC). An alternative site for the sampling point is being considered.
	The Secretary of State has not received any representations regarding sampling bathing water quality at Barmston and will not be making a statement.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Dan Norris: The permanent secretary is responsible for DEFRA's energy efficiency.

Departmental Food

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the  (a) meat,  (b) fruit and  (c) vegetables procured by his Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK.

Dan Norris: A second report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS supply chain and HM Prison Service was published in November 2008, covering the year from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. This report and the first one covering the previous year can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/awareness.htm
	The report gives details of the proportion of individual meat, fruit and vegetable categories purchased.
	Although it is too early to show a trend, the report indicates that the amount of domestically produced food consumed by Government Departments in England is increasing. The proportion of domestically produced food procured by DEFRA has gone up from 79.5 per cent. in 2006-07 to 85 per cent. in 2007-08. We expect to publish a third report at the end of 2009.

Forests

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what area and proportion of land in each forest district managed by Forestry Commission England has potential for lowland heathland re-creation  (a) has been replanted with conifers since 2005 and  (b) is scheduled for conifer re-planting.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The potential area of lowland heath based on recent Forestry Commission surveys in each forest district and the area that has been replanted since 2005 is given in the following table. The area scheduled for replanting following clear felling is given based on the existing management plans to 2020. These plans are subject to revision in the light of new policy developments and any operational considerations such as wind damage, disease etc.
	
		
			   Potential lowland heathland  Potential l owland heathland replanted since 2005  Potential lowland heathland scheduled for conifer replanting up to 2020 
			  Forest  d istrict  Area (ha)  Area (ha)  Percentage of potential  Area (ha)  Percentage of potential 
			 Kielder FD 108 0 0.0 0 0 
			 North West England FD 0 0 0.0 0 0 
			 North York Moors FD 225 6 0.0 20 9 
			 Sherwood and Lincolnshire FD 4,733 108 0.8 527 11 
			 West Midlands FD 1,527 46 0.4 298 20 
			 Northamptonshire FD 32 0 0.0 0 0 
			 East Anglia FD 18,595 662 2.6 3,436 18 
			 Peninsular FD 0 0 0.0 0 0 
			 Forest of Dean FD(2) 367 4 0.0 58 16 
			 New Forest FD(1 )((Dorset)) 2,711 68 0.2 1,103 41 
			 South East England FD 1,135 23 0.1 279 25 
			 Total 29,433 917 0.4 5,721 19 
			 (1) The New Forest forest district includes land managed by the Forestry Commission in Dorset. The table does not include the SSSI/SPA/SAC designated land managed by the Forestry Commission in the New Forest national park. (2) The figures for the Forest of Dean forest district include land in Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties managed by the Forestry Commission. It does not include the area of the Forest of Dean's statutory inclosures.

Water Charges: Voluntary Organisations

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received from voluntary and community groups on charges for surface water drainage.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Since 1 April 2009, DEFRA has received about 40 letters and one e-petition on the No. 10 website from voluntary and community groups on charges for surface water drainage.

TRANSPORT

Airports: Carbon Emissions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising at each airport in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport published in January 2009 its assessment of the carbon dioxide emissions from each of the 31 UK airports included in the Department's UK air passenger demand and CO2 forecasting framework. These airports accounted for 94 per cent. of total UK air traffic movements in 2005.
	This assessment is reported for the year 2005 and can be found in Annex G, Table G10 of "UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts":
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/atf/co2forecasts09/

Aviation: Fares

Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that air fares advertised by low-cost airlines accurately reflect the cost to the consumer.

Paul Clark: Regulation EC 1008/2008, which came into force last November, requires airlines to include in the advertised fare all applicable taxes, charges, surcharges and fees which are unavoidable and foreseeable at the time of publication. It also requires the existence of any optional price supplements to be clearly communicated at the start of the booking process. Department for Transport officials are working with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to establish an enforcement regime for the Regulation, which will include appropriate penalties for non-compliance. The OFT has also taken successful action on all-inclusive pricing by airlines under existing consumer protection legislation.

Multi-Purpose Test Centres

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many multi-purpose test centres were  (a) planned to be open and  (b) open at the time of the introduction of the new motorcycle practical test.

Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency originally intended that a new single-event practical motorcycle test should be delivered from 66 multi-purpose test centres (MPTCs).
	It was subsequently decided to split the new test into two modules with module 1 being the specific manoeuvres conducted off-road to ensure safety and module 2 the on-road riding test. This has allowed us to provide 88 per cent. of candidates access to one of the 66 centres offering module 1 testing within our target of 45 minutes or 20 miles, and 97 per cent. can reach one of the 105 centres offering the module 2 test at the same access standard.
	When the new test was introduced on 27 April 2009, candidates were able to take their module 1 test at 66 facilities—44 MPTCs, six casual-hire sites, 16 part-time Vehicle Operator and Services Agency sites, and module 2 tests at 105 facilities—43 MPTCs, one casual-hire site; and 61 other suitable Driving Test Centres.

Multi-Purpose Test Centres

Lembit �pik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many  (a) collisions and  (b) collisions causing injuries occurred during motorcycle driving tests in the calendar year up to 28 April 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency report information on collisions during motorcycle driving tests in the calendar year up to 28 April 2009 as follows:
	
		
			  Period: 29 April 2008 to 28 April 2009 
			   Number 
			 Collisions not involving injury 39 
			 Collisions involving injury 42

Multi-Purpose Test Centres

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what percentage of the population lives within 20 miles or 45 minutes travel of a multi-purpose test centre.

Paul Clark: The original plans for 66 centres would have enabled 83 per cent. of the population to reach a practical motorcycling testing facility within 45 minutes travelling or 20 miles.
	Our decision to split the test into two modules enabled us to increase the number of service delivery points. When the new test was implemented on 27 April 2009, 88 per cent. could access a module 1 testing facility for the off-road element within the travel/distance criteria 97 per cent. for module 2. The 5 per cent. difference between planned and actual coverage for the off-road element is accounted for by the actual, rather than the previously planned location of the new off road testing facilities.

Multi-Purpose Test Centres

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many planning applications for multi-purpose test centres were refused by local planning committees.

Paul Clark: In total nine planning applications were refused and three were made and withdrawn following discussions with the local planning authorities.
	There were numerous other informal discussions with local planning authorities about possible sites where the case did not progress to formal planning application.

Multi-Purpose Test Centres

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of  (a) the cost to date of developing and constructing multi-purpose test centres and  (b) the cost of completing the remaining centres.

Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has spent, up to the end of the 2008-09 financial year, a total of 51 million of capital funds (49.29 million on new DSA permanent centres; 1.12 million on shared with Vehicle and Operator Services Agency sites and 600,000 on casual hire sites).
	The forecast final capital spend is 71 million which is in line with the agreed programme business case and budget.

Public Transport: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much funding his Department has allocated for the purposes of improving public transport in  (a) Test Valley Borough and  (b) Southampton in the last 12 months.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport allocates integrated transport block and highways maintenance funding to local transport authorities for capital investment in transport. Funding provided by the Department to local authorities is not generally ring-fenced and local authorities have discretion to spend their allocations in line with their priorities, such as the provision of public transport. Spending in Test Valley is a matter for Hampshire county council as local transport authority. The table shows funding support for Hampshire and Southampton in 2008-09:
	
		
			  2008-09   million 
			 Hampshire 30.601 
			 Southampton 4.158 
		
	
	Revenue expenditure on transport is generally supported through the Department for Communities and Local Government's Formula Grant.
	In 2008-09 and 2009-10 special grant funding is being provided by the Department for Transport to meet the additional cost of the new, England-wide concessionary bus travel. The allocations made to Test Valley and Southampton for 2008-09 is shown in the table:
	
		
			  Concessionary fares funding  2008-09 
			million 
			 Southampton 1.059 
			 Test Valley 0.225

Railways: Carbon Emissions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from the operations of each rail franchise in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not hold data in the form requested. The rail industry reports its traction related carbon emissions annually to the Office of Rail Regulation.
	In 2007-08, the most recent year for which figures are available, the rail industry reported combined freight and passenger traction carbon emissions of 3.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Of this 2.7 million tonnes relates to passenger operations. This information is found in Rolling National Rail Trends 2008-09 on the Office of Rail Regulation website at:
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.2026

TREASURY

Banks: Loans

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of trends in levels of bank lending in the last six months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In November 2008, the Chancellor set up a lending panel to monitor lending to the UK economy, and to promote best practice across the industry in dealing with borrowers facing financial difficulties. The Bank of England collects data covering aspects of lending to the UK corporate and household sectors on behalf of the lending panel and publishes a monthly trends in lending report. These reports provide an assessment of the latest developments in lending to the UK economy. The first report was published in April and the most recent report is available at:
	http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/other/monetary/trendsinlending.htm

Financial Services: Crime

Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority on infiltration of financial services firms by criminal groups;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to prevent organised criminal groups from infiltrating financial services firms; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Ministers and officials meet the FSA on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
	The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has a statutory objective under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to reduce the extent to which it is possible for an authorised firm to be used for a purpose connected with financial crime. As part of that remit, the FSA has drawn attention to the financial crime risks posed by inadequate systems and controls for the recruitment of staff.
	All directors of financial services firms are required to satisfy the FSA that they are fit and proper persons when they apply for authorisation, and on an ongoing basis. The suitability of each individual person who performs a controlled function will be assessed by the FSA under the approved persons regime. In certain circumstances, the FSA may consider that the firm is not suitable because of doubts over the individual or collective suitability of persons connected with the firm.
	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) also operate a fit and proper test for key individuals involved in the management and ownership of money service businesses and trust and company service businesses that must be registered with them for supervision under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007. If any key individual within the business is not found to be fit and proper, HMRC will not register the business and the business must not operate.

Members: Correspondence

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 4 December 2008 from the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire (PO reference: 1/64303/2008).

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Edward Garnier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reply to the letter of 3 April 2009 from the hon. and learned Member for Harborough to the right hon. Member for Dudley South about Dr. R. and Mrs. W. Sindall of Oadby, Leicestershire.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: holding answer 16 June 2009
	A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average waiting time for a caller to each of HM Revenue and Customs 0845 telephone numbers was in each of the last 12 months; how much the average call to such an 0845 number cost the caller in each of those months; and how many callers received a recorded message telling them to call back later after having been put on hold in each of those months.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 18 June 2009
	HMRC has in excess of 200 different 0845 numbers and cannot therefore provide waiting times for each of these numbers. The majority of calls to HMRC are centrally managed through contact centres and the performance data for these calls are aggregated by each tax/head of duty. In the last 12 months, customers calling the main lines of business waited, on average, the following minutes and seconds before their call was answered by an adviser.
	
		
			   2008  2009 
			  Average waiting time  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May 
			 Child Benefit 03:24 03:34 03:44 04:51 04:15 03:33 02:16 01:53 00:09 00:07 00:28 01:21 
			 National Insurance 01:20 02:06 02:04 00:34 00:50 00:31 00:16 01:12 00:36 00:45 00:55 01:13 
			 Online Services Helpdesk 00:09 00:11 00:10 00:28 01:30 00:30 00:09 02:54 01:25 02:09 02:44 01:37 
			 Stamp Taxes 00:20 00:33 00:17 00:06 00:11 00:10 00:11 00:04 00:04 00:05 00:17 00:20 
			 Tax Credits 04:12 04:36 01:18 01:48 00:38 00:18 00:15 01:37 00:25 00:16 00:59 01:33 
			 Taxes (PAYE) 02:42 04:06 02:12 01:47 00:38 00:26 00:36 03:14 01:35 01:49 01:48 03:12 
			 Taxes Helplines 00:35 01:17 00:34 00:25 00:13 00:10 00:13 01:36 00:22 00:22 01:33 02:57 
			 VAT 00:18 00:23 00:37 00:18 00:14 00:25 00:17 00:14 00:19 00:33 00:58 01:13 
		
	
	Call charges to customers are dependent on the tariff arrangements they have with their service provider, the device they use for the call and the location from which they call.
	Callers to HMRC either enter the queuing system or, if the queue is full, are played a busy message. The vast majority of callers enter the queue through an initial interactive voice recognition (IVR) service. Some IVR options will advise customers to call back later if HMRC expects to be particularly busy, for example during a peak period. It is not possible to identify the number of callers who receive this specific type of recorded message.

Welfare Tax Credit: Repayments

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been required to make repayments as a result of overpayments of their tax credits in Milton Keynes in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: The latest estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes are given in the HMRC publication, Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments Geographical Analyses, for 2006-07. This publication is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-statshtm
	Information for 2007-08 is not yet available at parliamentary constituency level. The geographical finalised awards publications have been delayed following a problem identified with the delivery of geographical information, although this does not affect the UK level statistics which were published on 19 May 2009. More information can be found on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tc-delay-07-08.htm

JUSTICE

Crimes against Property: Fines

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were fined for offences relating to damage to or destruction of property in each year since 2003.

Claire Ward: The number of persons issued with a fine at all courts for offences of criminal damage in England and Wales for the years 2003 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in table 1.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	Under the Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) Scheme, the police can issue a fixed penalty notice of 80 for the offence of destroying or damaging property (Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971) where the value of damage caused is under 500. The number of PNDs issued in England and Wales for the years 2004-07 (latest available) can be viewed in table 2: the offence was added to the Scheme in November 2004.
	The PND scheme was made available to all 43 forces in England and Wales from April 2004.
	PND data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Table 1:  N umber of persons issued with a fine at all courts for offences relating to 'damaging or destroying property' in England and Wales, 2003 - 07( 1,)( )( 2) 
			  Statute  Offence description  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Criminal Damage Act 1971 Sec. 1(2) and (3). Arson endangering life 1 
			 Criminal Damage Act 1971 Sec.1(1) and 3 Arson not endangering life 36 25 22 22 21 
			 Criminal Damage Act 19/1 Sec. 1(2). Explosive Substances Act 1883 Sec 2, Sec 3(l)(a). Malicious Damage Act 1861 Secs 35, 36, 47 Other criminal damage endangering life excluding arson 6 17 18 4 8 
			 Criminal Damage Act 1971 Sec 1(1) as added by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.30 (1) and (2) Racially aggravated other criminal damage 21 22 21 18 17 
			 Criminal Damage Act 1971 Sec. 1(1) as added by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec30(l) and (2). Religiously aggravated other criminal damage  2   3 
			 Criminal Damage Act 1971 Sec. 1(1) as added by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec30(l) and (2) Racially or religiously aggravated other criminal damage (any amount) 3 7 4 2 3 
			 Criminal Damage Act 19/1 Sec. 1(1). Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 S.22 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Criminal damage, value 5,000 or less 7,370 7,129 6,519 5,655 5,634 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Evidence and Analysis Unit 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued to offenders aged 16 and over for the offence 'Criminal Damage (under 500)' in England and Wales, 2004 to 2007( 1,2) 
			  Offence  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Criminal Damage (under 500) 1,190 12,168 20,620 19,946 
			 (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (2) The Penalty Notice for Disorder Scheme commenced in 2004.  Source:  Evidence and Analysis Unit - Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Ministry of Justice

Departmental Information Officers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to his Department of press office staff other than press officers has been in each year since his Department was established.

Michael Wills: Since its inception on 9 May 2007, the Ministry incurred the following expenditure on press office staff other than press officers:
	
		
			  Financial year   
			 2008-09 150,337 
			 2007-08 76,167 
		
	
	Press Office staff other than press officers are interpreted as being secretarial and administrative staff. The increase in expenditure has occurred because it was recognised that, in the transition from the Department of Constitutional Affairs to the Ministry of Justice, the press office function needed to be enhanced to satisfactorily meet the demands placed upon it from all forms of media. As a major Department of state, the Ministry touches the lives of all citizens, and it is important that the public understands how taxpayers money is being used and the services that it provides. The Ministry's support and administrative staff working in the press office are an integral part of the team, helping with daily operations and the smooth running of the area.

Departmental Pay

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which of his Department's  (a) agencies and  (b) non-departmental public bodies have submitted bids for efficiency savings to be used for pay improvements in 2009 pay offers.

Michael Wills: Agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have not submitted any bids for efficiency savings to be used for pay improvements in 2009 pay offers. Efficiency savings were removed from budgets before funding was allocated to MoJ agencies and NDPBs. Individual budget managers are required to live within their funding allocation.

Harassment: Fines

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people were fined for offences of using threatening words or behaviour likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each year since 2003;
	(2)  how many people were fined for offences of intentionally harassing or scaring people in each year since 2003.

Claire Ward: The number of persons issued with a fine at all courts for the offences of using threatening words or behaviour likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress and intentionally harassing or scaring people in England and Wales for the years 2003-07 (latest available) is shown in table 1.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	Under the penalty notice for disorder (PND) scheme, the police can issue a fixed penalty notice of 80 for the offence of 'Using words, conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress' (S5 of the POA 1986). The number of PNDs issued in England and Wales for the years 2004-07 (latest available) can be viewed in table 2. PNDs are not available for offences committed under section 4A.
	The PND was made available to all 43 forces in England and Wales from April 2004.
	PND data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons issued with a fine at all courts for offences relating to 'Causing harassment, alarm and distress',  in England and Wales, 2003- 07( 1,)( )( 2) 
			Fine 
			  Statute  Offence description  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Public Order Act 1986 Sec 4A as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec.31(l)(b),(4) Racially Aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress 97 94 91 87 134 
			 Public Order Act 1986 Sec 4A as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec.31(1)(b),(4) Religiously aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress 0 4 0 2 1 
			 Public Order Act 1986 Sec 4A as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec.31(1)(b),(4) Racially or religiously aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress 15 24 21 22 34 
			 Public Order Act 1986 Sec 5 Harassment, alarm or distress 9,932 10,296 9,972 10,235 10,832 
			 Public Order Act 1986 Sec 5 as amended by Crime and Disorder Act Sec.31(1)(b),(5) Racially Aggravated Harassment, alarm or distress 551 642 724 866 970 
			 Public Order Act 1986 S.5 as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.31(1) (c) and 5 Religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress 6 6 5 14 18 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Evidence and Analysis UnitOffice for Criminal Justice Reform, Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued to offenders aged 16 and over for the offence 'Causing harassment, alarm and distress' in England and Wales , 2004- 07( 1,2) 
			   Number 
			 2004 28,790 
			 2005 64,007 
			 2006 82,235 
			 2007 77,827 
			 (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (2) The penalty notice for disorder scheme commenced in 2004.  Source: Evidence and Analysis UnitOffice for Criminal Justice Reform, Ministry of Justice

National Probation Service for England and Wales: Secondment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether any people seconded from the Probation Service to  (a) the National Offender Management Service and  (b) regional offender management services have been (i) offered permanent posts within the Director of Offender Management Structure (DOMS) and (ii) allocated to join a surplus employees' group;
	(2)  what his policy is on the secondment of Probation Service staff to the Prison Service;
	(3)  under what circumstances a prison establishment can opt out of arrangements to second Probation Service staff to prisons;
	(4)  what the average length of a Probation Service secondment to a prison was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(5)  from which budget the salaries of Probation Service staff seconded to work in prisons in England and Wales are drawn;
	(6)  whether he plans to review the deployment of Probation Service staff to prisons in England and Wales.

Maria Eagle: Within the Ministry of Justice, prison and probation services in England and Wales have been brought together under the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), an executive agency. It is the agency's responsibility to ensure that the two services operate together to provide the most effective outcomes for offender management, to reduce crime and improve public protection. Each region now has its own Director of Offender Management (DOM), responsible for the operation of both services, and it has been an essential component of the restructuring arrangements that probation service staff continue to operate in prison establishments and to be seconded to NOMS headquarters (including to DOMS' offices).
	In particular, throughout the regional restructuring, there has been a clear recognition of the benefits in bringing together skills, competencies and experience from all parts of the new agency. Probation staff were selected for the posts generated by the restructure through established secondment arrangements. It is not possible for probation staff to apply for permanent positions in the civil service other than through open competition where the post is advertised externally. Probation staff are employees of probation areas and secondment arrangements ensure that an appropriate level of integration takes place.
	Probation staff work in prisons in the public and private sector under service level agreements (SLA) between the governor or director of each establishment and the chief officer of the local probation area. It is ultimately for the Director of Offender Management to commission the level of service that he or she considers to be appropriate within the region and to determine budget allocation. The budget for probation services provided within prisons is part of the prisons overall budget and the amount is designated by the governor of the prison.
	Information on the average length of deployment for probation staff to prison establishments is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In respect of NOMS HQ, the current requirement of the Civil Service Commission is for secondments to be limited to a maximum of two years. This is currently being reviewed as the future structures with NOMS are developed.

Offences against Children: Sentencing

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for offences related to  (a) child abuse,  (b) child neglect and  (c) sexual abuse of children in the latest period for which figures are available.

Claire Ward: The available data are shown in the following table. The data show the number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for child neglect and sexual abuse of children in the last year for which figures are available. The term child abuse has no specific recognised definition but includes a range of sexual and physical offences against children, such as it describes harm caused to a child arising from physical, sexual abuse or neglect caused by a parent, guardian, carer, or stranger. A number of other offences such as offences against the person including physical assault may frequently be used by the police to charge offenders but where the age of the victim is not known. This data are based on the principal offence. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence it is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed, where the same sentence has been imposed for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.
	
		
			  Number of persons sentenced to immediate custody for child abuse including child neglect and sexual abuse of children, 2007 
			   Number of children 
			 Sexual abuse of children(1) 1,199 
			 Child neglect(2) 99 
			 Child abuse(3) 1,298 
			 (1 )Includes the following offences:  Sexual assault of a male child aged under 13  Rape, attempted rape of a male or female aged under 13 or under 16  Sexual assault of a female child aged under 13  Sexual activity with a male or female child aged under 13  Sexual activity with a male or female aged under 16  Familial sexual offences of a male or female child aged under 13  Abuse of children aged under 18 through prostitution and pornography  Abuse of trust sexual offences against a child aged under 18  Meeting a male or female aged under 16 following sexual grooming. (2 )Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person.  Cruelty or neglect of children.  Abandoning children under 2 years. (3 )The term child abuse has no specific definition, in this answer it refers to the offences included in sexual abuse of children and child neglect.  Notes: 1. The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with.  2. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004.  3. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source:  OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice.

Probation

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the caseload of the Probation Service in London was in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The total case load of offenders supervised by the probation service in London as at 31 December in each of the last four years (the latest figures available) is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005 41,665 
			 2006 41,338 
			 2007 41,998 
			 2008 43,811 
		
	
	The 2008 figures are provisional and were published on 30 April 2009 in the Ministry of Justice statistics bulletin Probation statistics quarterly brief October to December 2008, England and Wales. Copies can be found in the Libraries of both Houses and may be accessed via the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/probationquarterly.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Probation Officers: Manpower

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many trained probation staff there were in the Probation Service in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The following table shows the number of trained probation staff in each of the last five years:
	
		
			  Full-time equivalents 
			   2003( 1)  2004( 1)  2005( 1)  2006( 1)  2007( 1,)( )( 2) 
			 Probation officers(3) 6,271.45 6,584.94 6,894.36 7,209.45 7,119.53 
			 Trainee probation officers 1,818.20 1,774.20 1,386.70 1,134.09 1,138.00 
			 Probation service officers(4) 5,386.00 5,623.90 6,235.20 6,502.71 6,221.77 
			 (1) Figures taken as at 31 December each year. (2) Figures for 2007 will shortly be published on the Probation Service Intranet and Internet sites. (3) Includes; senior probation officers, senior practitioners, probation officers and practice development assessors. (4) Includes; probation services officers and treatment managers.

Young Offender Institutions: Injuries

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many incidents of  (a) self-harm,  (b) injury caused by restraint and  (c) assault there were in each young offender institution in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The annual numbers of recorded self-harm incidents for each of current, single-function young offender institution for each of the last five years is given in table 1.
	The National Offender Management Service has a broad, integrated and evidence-based prisoner suicide prevention and self-harm management strategy that seeks to reduce the distress of all those in prison. This encompasses a wide spectrum of prison and Department of Health work around such issues as mental health, substance misuse and resettlement. Any prisoner identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm is cared for using the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) procedures. ACCT is the prisoner-centred flexible care-planning system introduced across the prisons estate in partnership with the Department of Health during 2005-07
	Most self-harm is not directly life threatening, but nevertheless can be extremely distressing for all those concerned. A prisoner-focused care planning system for those at risk, (ACCT), has helped prisons manage self-harm. There are no easy answers to preventing self harming behaviour but we remain committed to finding ways to manage it.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded self-harm in single-function young offender institutions, 2004-08 
			  Incidents 
			  Prison  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Ashfield 239 172 224 142 106 
			 Aylesbury 83 116 346 265 265 
			 Brinsford 23 73 102 86 87 
			 Castington 89 92 106 68 64 
			 Cookham Wood 163 197 144 216 55 
			 Deerbolt 59 104 131 99 138 
			 Feltham 161 144 126 221 210 
			 Glen Parva 217 232 149 249 231 
			 Hindley 46 156 71 41 81 
			 Huntercombe 73 69 67 86 95 
			 Lancaster Farms 15 92 153 21 5 
			 Northallerton 60 16 35 30 37 
			 Portland 119 110 161 174 80 
			 Reading 39 60 45 38 24 
			 Rochester 58 18 50 47 99 
			 Stoke Heath 250 192 217 227 325 
			 Thorn Cross 3 1 3 4 3 
			 Warren Hill 21 14 18 13 80 
			 Werrington 13 30 24 12 52 
			 Wetherby 60 .67 34 12 34 
		
	
	The information requested on the number of injuries caused by use of restraints is not held centrally in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A Use of Force Report Form is completed by each member of staff involved in its use, to explain the circumstances in which force was used. Establishments are required to examine this information on a regular basis to determine if there any particular problems in relation to use of force or any resulting injuries. To obtain information on the number of injuries sustained during use of restraint would require contacting each young offender establishment and asking them to analyse their forms for every single use of force for the past five years.
	The number of assault incidents for each current, single-function young offender institution for each of the last five years is given in table 2.
	The information is subject to important qualifications. The NOMS Incident Reporting System processes high volumes of data which are constantly being updated. The numbers provide a good indication of overall numbers but should not be interpreted as absolute. Rises or falls in reported numbers from one year to the next are not a good indicator of an underlying trend for a particular prison. Additionally there have been improvements in reporting over the years, and this is reflected in the tables.
	Assault data are complex and the numbers need to be interpreted with caution. Information recorded as assault incidents may involve one or many prisoners as some assault incidents may involve more than one assailant or more than one victim. Additionally in a proportion of incidents only the victim is known.
	Reducing violence in prisons is a priority for Ministers, NOMS and the Prison Officers Association and they are collectively committed to working towards a zero tolerance approach to prison violence. Since 2004, a national strategy has directed every public sector prison to have in place a local violence reduction strategy and since mid 2007 this has been applied to the public and contracted out estate. A whole prison approach is encouraged, engaging all staff, all disciplines and prisoners in challenging unacceptable behaviour, problem-solving and personal safety.
	
		
			  Table 2: Recorded assault incidents in single-function young offender institutions, 2004-08 
			  Assault incidents 
			  Prison  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Ashfield 395 680 761 753 748 
			 Aylesbury 28 96 100 93 120 
			 Brinsford 360 364 197 204 352 
			 Castington 443 412 406 431 462 
			 Cookham Wood 13 5 5 7 20 
			 Deerbolt 234 199 174 194 222 
			 Feltham 751 698 596 544 648 
			 Glen Parva 273 300 387 422 510 
			 Hindley 78 149 407 548 550 
			 Huntercombe 96 110 217 306 426 
			 Lancaster Farms 213 484 428 397 347 
			 Northallerton 110 118 91 108 106 
			 Portland 166 194 170 234 193 
			 Reading 41 93 72 54 37 
			 Rochester 120 102 113 80 173 
			 Stoke Heath 280 498 578 606 561 
			 Thorn Cross 8 21 148 85 45 
			 Warren Hill 183 291 314 371 383 
			 Werrington 123 160 168 154 228 
			 Wetherby 492 568 465 393 432

Young Offender Institutions: Suicide

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of  (a) 12,  (b) 13,  (c) 14,  (d) 15,  (e) 16,  (f) 17,  (g) 18 and  (h) 19 year-olds in each young offenders institution committed suicide in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Any death in prison custody is a tragic event. The Government, Ministry of Justice and the National Offender Management Service, (NOMS) is committed to learning from such events and reducing the number of self-inflicted deaths in prison custody. NOMS has a broad, integrated and evidence-based prisoner suicide prevention and self harm management strategy that seeks to reduce the distress of all those in prison. This encompasses a wide spectrum of Prison and Department of Health work around such issues as mental health, substance misuse and resettlement. Any prisoner identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm is cared for using the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) procedures. ACCT is the prisoner-centred flexible care-planning system introduced across the prisons estate in partnership with the Department of Health during 2005-07.
	The National Offender Management Service holds two groups of offender within its young offender estate. These are young people (15 to 17-year-olds) and young adults (18 to 20-year-olds). Under-15s are not held in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs).
	The following table details the numbers of self-inflicted deaths in YOIs in each of the last five years, by age as requested.
	
		
			   Age  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Lancaster Farms 151  
			 Lancaster Farms 16  1
			 Hindley 17  1
			 Aylesbury 18 1 
			 Portland 18 1 
			 Reading 18  3  1  
			 Stoke Heath 18  1
			 Brinsford 19  1  1  
			 Glen Parva 19  2  1  
			 Reading 19 1 
			 Rochester 19 1 
			 Total  3 9 0 4 1 
		
	
	It is not possible to give the percentages that these deaths represent, for each age, in each establishment and for each year. Young people and young adults account for some 2.6 per cent. and 10.5 per cent. of all prisoners respectively. The 17 deaths detailed above constitute 0.2 per cent. of under-21s.
	Under-18s are also held in secure training centres and secure children's homes. There have been two self-inflicted deaths in Secure Training Centres and Secure Children's Homes, both involving 14-year-old boys. One was the death of Adam Rickwood in Hassockfield STC in August 2004 and the other was the death of Wayne Cann at Hillside Secure Children's Home in January 1998.
	STCs and SCHs have stringent screening processes in place to assess young people's risk of suicide and self-harm (SASH) taking into account vulnerability, safeguarding and risk assessments. Young people are assessed upon admission and regularly thereafter by the relevant staff as part of their review process. Providers have robust systems to record young people's risk assessments and follow operational policies for managing those who are at risk of self-harm. Establishments regularly provide data to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) on all incidents of self-harm, and this information is regularly reviewed as part of the YJB's quality assurance monitoring arrangements. Local Safeguarding Children's Boards also play a key role in working together with establishments in helping address the safeguarding needs of all young people in secure settings.

Young Offenders: Sentencing

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of  (a) 12,  (b) 13,  (c) 14,  (d) 15,  (e) 16,  (f) 17,  (g) 18 and  (h) 19 year-olds who were convicted of non-violent crimes were given a community sentence in the last 12 months.

Claire Ward: The available information is found in the following table. Data for 2008 will not be available until Sentencing Statistics 2008 is published later in the year.
	
		
			  Percentage of persons sentenced to community sentences for non-violent indictable offences( 1) , by age, 2007 
			  Age  Percentage given community sentences 
			 10 91.5 
			 11 92.4 
			 12 88.7 
			 13 87.7 
			 14 82.9 
			 15 79.1 
			 16 72.2 
			 17 64.3 
			 18 34.7 
			 19 29.9 
			 (1) This includes all indictable offences not included in the violence against the person offence type. Summary offences have not been included as they are not categorised into violent or non-violent offences.  Notes: 1. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. 2. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	The table shows the percentage of persons aged 10 to 19 sentenced to a community sentence for non-violent indictable offences in 2007. The definition of non-violent offences are all those not included in the offences type, 'Violence Against the Person'. These data are presented on the principal offence basis. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons seeking asylum who entered the UK at Northern Ireland airports  (a) presented themselves with no identification,  (b) presented themselves as juveniles without identification and  (c) presented themselves as juveniles without identification and subsequently absconded from the social services accommodation in which they were placed in each of the last three years.

Phil Woolas: I have written to the hon. Member.

Borders: Personal Records

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the cost of the e-Borders scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The gross cost of the e-Borders Programme to the Government is 1.2 billion, of which the cost of the 10 year contract is 750 million.

Cannabis

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many raids upon cannabis factories have been conducted by each police force in the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Data are collected centrally and at police force level on offences related to cannabis production, although no data are collected centrally which relate to the number of raids on cannabis factories. It is, therefore, not possible to provide a response to this question.
	However, in 2007-08, in recognition of inconsistencies in definitions of the term 'cannabis factory' across police forces, a single definition was agreed and a baseline set for the number of operations against such enterprises. The agreed definition was any premises, whether commercial or residential, where the premises, or part therein, has been adapted to such an extent that normal usage would be inhibited and usually present within the premises, or part therein, are items solely concerned for the production of cannabis, i.e.
	Hydroponics system
	High intensity lighting
	Ventilation/extractor fans
	Any other affiliated equipment, and/or
	Electricity meter bypassed (abstraction of electricity).
	The total number of premises meeting this definition recorded in 2007-08 was 3,033. Results by police force are set out in the table. More recent data are not yet available and, as 2007-08 was the baseline year, it is not possible to provide data at a national level for the last three years.
	
		
			  Cannabis factories recorded  1  April 2007 to 31 March 2008 
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset 207 
			 Bedfordshire 17 
			 BTP 8 
			 Cambridgeshire 112 
			 Central Scotland 1 
			 Cheshire 21 
			 Cleveland 43 
			 Cumbria 11 
			 Derbyshire 53 
			 Devon and Cornwall 19 
			 Dorset 28 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 0 
			 Durham 7 
			 Dyfed-Powys 41 
			 Essex 68 
			 Fife 1 
			 Gloucestershire 4 
			 GMP 227 
			 Grampian 9 
			 Gwent 42 
			 Hampshire 37 
			 Hertfordshire 70 
			 Humberside 18 
			 Kent 73 
			 Lancashire 123 
			 Leicestershire 75 
			 Lincolnshire 49 
			 Lothian and Borders 4 
			 Merseyside 118 
			 Met 289 
			 Norfolk 44 
			 North Wales 31 
			 North Yorkshire 11 
			 Northamptonshire 27 
			 Northern Constabulary 0 
			 Northumbria 38 
			 Nottinghamshire 55 
			 PSNI 4 
			 South Wales 73 
			 South Yorkshire 54 
			 Staffordshire 51 
			 Strathclyde 30 
			 Suffolk 22 
			 Surrey 12 
			 Sussex 37 
			 Tayside 7 
			 Thames Valley 110 
			 Warwickshire 48 
			 West Mercia 18 
			 West Midlands 203 
			 West Yorkshire 368 
			 Wiltshire 14

Crime: Alcoholic Drinks

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) cautions and  (b) arrests for alcohol-related offences there were in (i) Ashford constituency and (ii) Kent in the last eight quarters.

Alan Campbell: Information showing the number of offenders cautioned for alcohol related offences in Kent Police Force Area, 2006-07 (latest available), broken down by quarter, can be viewed in the table. Information held centrally on the Court Proceedings Database from which the data has been derived does not include information on constituencies; therefore data for Ashford constituency are not available.
	The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally. The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery.
	The alcohol related offences presented in the table are not notifiable offences and do not form part of the arrests collection. Additionally, data on arrests for the offence of 'Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs' cannot be separately identified from the arrests for 'violence against the person' reported to the Home Office.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned for alcohol related offences( 1 ) Kent Police Force Area, 2006 - 07, broken down by quarter( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4) 
			   Quarter 1  Quarter 2  Quarter 3  Quarter 4  Total 
			 2006 20 37 28 31 116 
			 2007 36 23 37 28 124 
			 (1) Includes offences under the: Licensing Act 1872 s.12; Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985ss.1(2)(3)(4) and 1A(2)(3)(4), 2(1)(2), 5B(2)(3), 5C(3)(4), 5D(2)(3), 6(2); Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997 s. 1; Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 ss.12,17, 25(3)(a)(b), 25(4)(5), 32; Criminal Justice Act 1967 s.91; Licensing Act 1964 ss. 5C(5), 6, 6, 19, 28(3), 34, 36, 39(1)(2)(3)(4), 45, 48, 51(4), 53, 59(1)(a)(b), 71(4), 72, 84, 85(2), 89, 155(1)(a), 157(1)(a)(b), 157(1)(b), 159, 160,(1)(a)(b), 161(1)(2), 162,163,164(1)(2), 165,166(1)(a)(b), 167, 168A, 168(1)(2), 169A, 169B, 169C(1)(2)(3), 169E(1), 169F, 169G, 170,171A(1), 172, 172A, 173, 174, 175,176, 177,178, 179A(6), 179B(5)(6), 179E(8), 179H(2), 181A(1)(2)(3), 183(1)(2)(3), 184,185,186,187(3)(4), 188,193(7) Sch.8 Appendix C s. 6, Appendix D; Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 s.1; Licensing Act 2003 ss. 33, 40, 41,46,49, 56, 57, 59, 82, 83, 93, 94, 96,108,109,123,127,128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140,141, 142, 143,144, 145, 146, 147,147A, 148,149(1)(3)(4)(7(a)(b), 150(1)(2), 151,152, 153, 156, 157, 158, 160,161,165,168, 179,197, Sch.8 paras 1 and 22; Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ss. 11, 27; Road Traffic Act 1991 s. 3; Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969 ss. 7(2), 8, 9(1)(4), 10; Town Police Clauses Act 1847 ss. 35, 61; London Hackney Carriage Act 1843 s.28; Merchant Shipping Act 1995 s.101(1)(a)(b), (4) and (5); Licensing Act 1902 ss.2. 6(2)(a)(b); Similar provisions in Local Acts; Road Traffic Act ss.4(1)(2) s.5(1)(a)(b), s.6(4), s.7(6); Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 3A, 7A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.56, Transport and Works Act 1992 S.31A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.52; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 s.3 [Sch. Para. 2, 3(a)(b), 4(1)(2)(3), 5, 6, 7, 8(2), 9(2)]; Licensing Act 1988 s. 17,18; Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, s. 19; Children and Young Persons Act 1933 s. 5; Criminal Justice Act 1996 s. 6. (2) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Evidence and Analysis Unit

Crime: Cambridgeshire

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) crimes of burglary,  (b) violent crimes and  (c) vehicle crimes were reported in (i) North West Cambridgeshire constituency, (ii) Cambridgeshire and (iii) Peterborough in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The available information is given in the table. Recorded crime data are not specifically available at constituency level.
	A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to suggestions in the two reviews of crime statistics. One such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics and we now provide figures for violence against the person.
	
		
			  Selected offences recorded by the police in the Cambridgeshire police force area and Peterborough unitary authority 
			  Number of offences 
			  Area and year  Burglary( 1)  Violence against the person  Vehicle crime( 2) 
			  Cambridgeshire
			 2003-04 10,257 13,663 12,034 
			 2004-05 8,501 13,358 10,219 
			 2005-06 8,217 10,158 9,255 
			 2006-07 8,821 10,421 9,715 
			 2007-08 7,533 10,296 9,126 
			 
			  Peterborough
			 2003-04 3,656 5,133 5,180 
			 2004-05 2,973 5,165 4,658 
			 2005-06 2,861 4,156 4,182 
			 2006-07 3,046 4,017 4,372 
			 2007-08 2,420 3,847 3,645 
			 (1) Includes burglary in a dwelling and other burglary. (2) Includes theft of or from a vehicle and interfering with a motor vehicle.

Cycling

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to implement the bicycle purchase initiative in his Department's agencies' offices in Merseyside.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office is planning to introduce during the current financial yearthe 'Cycle2Work' tax efficient bicycle loan scheme across its estates.
	Under the scheme rules the Home Office and its agencies cannot state from the outset that the cycles will be made available for purchase at the end of the 12 month hire period.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions  (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and  (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
	Depending upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions are available including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.
	Compliance arrangements comprise a system of self-assessment, accreditation, assurance reporting, audit and review.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department's policy is on encryption of data when they leave departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy.

Phil Woolas: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
	The Home Office is compliant with the security policies contained in the Government Security Policy Framework including those for information security and assurance.
	Depending upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions is available including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures.

Phil Woolas: The Department is committed to the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) targets which include a reduction in absolute carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency per m(2) and action to apply the Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) to all of its own new build and major refurbishment projects.
	Data on energy efficiency expenditure are not currently recorded separately, as implementation of these measures is generally carried out as part of wider design or refurbishment programmes. Overall progress against the SOGE targets is assessed by the Sustainable Development Commission for inclusion in their annual SDiG publication.
	Recent examples of expenditure on energy efficiency include the installation of energy efficient lamps, and the upgrading of thermostatic controls to improve efficiency in certain buildings on the UK Border Agency (UKBA) estate in Croydon. Furthermore our newest office building, Vulcan House, a UKBA property, has a range of measures integrated into the design and construction to optimise energy efficiency including setting the orientation to mitigate the effects of solar gain, building fabric insulation and a thermally efficient envelope including a vegetation roof that acts as a thermal barrier in both winter and summer.
	The Department has recently signed up to the Carbon Trust Management Programme which will assist us in identifying low and no-cost measures as well as further investment opportunities to improve efficiency on our estate. This programme is supported by a staff awareness campaign. We shall also be monitoring the effectiveness of the programme.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Phil Woolas: The permanent secretary, David Normington, has overall responsibility for the Department's sustainable development policy, including energy efficiency. Each year the Home Secretary signs off the Department's energy data for return to the Buildings Research Establishment.

Departmental Food

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the  (a) meat,  (b) fruit and  (c) vegetables procured by his Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK.

Phil Woolas: A second report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS Supply Chain and HM Prison Service was published in November 2008, covering the year from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. This report and the first one covering the previous year can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/awareness.htm
	The report gives details of the proportion of individual meat, fruit and vegetable categories purchased.
	Although it is too early to show a trend, the report indicates that the amount of domestically produced food consumed by Government Departments in England is increasing. The proportion of domestically produced food procured by the Home Office has gone up from 68 per cent. in 2006-07 to 70 per cent. in 2007-08. We expect to publish a third report at the end of 2009.

Departmental Procurement

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of invoices his Department and its agencies paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Home Department has invested significantly in its people, with the creation of a professional Shared Service Centre and Procurement Centre of Excellence complemented by the creation of new processes and easy to use payment system.
	A firm focus has been applied by the Procurement Centre of Excellence in the area of prompt payment. This focus has resulted in the Department exceeding the 90 per cent. target on three occasions in the fiscal year 2008-09 and able to meet the Prime Minister's target of paying all small, medium enterprises within 10 days, announced in October 2008.
	The Department has been working closely with colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) reporting on both our legislative obligations of 30 days as well as the 10 day PM's commitment for SMEs for correctly presented compliant invoices.
	The Department's (Home Office HQ and UKBA) performance of paying compliant invoices since the PM's announcement within 10 days is shown in the following table. The information shown for the Criminal Records Bureau and Identity and Passport Service are for all invoices received and paid as separate figures for SMEs are not retained:
	
		
			All invoices 
			   HO Headquarters and UKBA  CRB  IPS 
			  Month  SMEs, compliant invoices paid within 10 days  SMEs, percentage of invoices paid within 10 days  Number paid within 10 days  Percentage paid within 10 days  Number paid within 10 days  Percentage paid within 10 days 
			 January 2009 856 100 50 45 1,119 39 
			 February 2009 1,001 100 79 41 1,111 37 
			 March 2009 1,081 99.99 61 26 1,913 51 
		
	
	Until October 2008 the Home Department and its Executive Agencies were required to monitor and publish payment performance against a 30 day payment target.
	The first full month of formal recording against the 10 day target was November 2008 and therefore information about payment performance within 10 days is not available prior to this date.

DNA: Databases

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many young people aged under 16 years have their details recorded on the ONSET database; and how many such details have been added in the last 12 months;
	(2)  which  (a) organisations and  (b) individuals have access to the information contained in his Department's ONSET database;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the ONSET database in predicting levels of future criminal activity;
	(4)  what rights of access an individual has to their personal information held on the ONSET database;
	(5)  how many people have had personal information held on his Department's ONSET database removed in each year since its inception;
	(6)  for how long personal information held on his Department's ONSET database is retained; and what criteria apply for its earlier deletion from the database;
	(7)  what his most recent estimate is of the average annual cost of the operation of his Department's ONSET database; and how much has been spent on the ONSET database since the commencement of the project.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	ONSET is a set of assessment and referral tools designed by the Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford, for use by local authorities' youth offending teams to support their work to prevent crime. ONSET identifies whether a child or young person would benefit from an early intervention in order to help prevent antisocial behaviour and offending.
	ONSET also helps to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention by determining the risk factors that should be reduced and the protective factors that should be enhanced in any given case based on the individual's assessment. In 2008-09, youth offending teams reported to the Youth Justice Board that 15,752 children and young people had an ONSET assessment.
	The profiles generated by ONSET are stored on the electronic and paper record systems used by local authorities. These systems can be accessed only by the multi-agency staff working for youth offending teams, such as health workers, police officers, social workers, probation officers and housing officers. Access to and sharing of such information is subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Youth Justice Board has issued guidance to youth offending teams on compliance with the Act and on effective record keeping and information sharing practice. Children, young people and their parents can have access to the information on request. The guidance also advises on the periods for which certain data should be retained. The length of time ONSET data might be retained will depend on local authorities' own data retention policies and on issues such as whether the young person goes on to offend, the nature of the offence and the disposal applied.

Entry Clearances

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa applicants from  (a) India,  (b) Sri Lanka and  (c) Zimbabwe have had their applications refused in each of the last three years; of those how many have appealed; how many such appeals have succeeded; how many decisions have been withdrawn prior to determination of the appeal; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The number of UK visa applications refused in India and Sri Lanka in each of the calendar years 2006-08 is shown in the following table, together with the number of appeals received and appeals allowed. The same information is shown in the table for Zimbabwe, but this is based on applications made globally by Zimbabwe nationals rather than just those lodged in Zimbabwe as those data are not available.
	We are unable to readily separate applications where a decision has been revoked following receipt of an appeal from those where a decision has been revoked following an Asylum and Immigration Tribunal determination. This information could be provided only by checking individual applications and therefore at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   2006  2007  2008 
			  India
			 Visas refused 77,291 81,234 78,458 
			 Appeals received 22,164 26,421 33,511 
			 Appeals allowed 11,696 13,181 12,740 
			 
			  Sri Lanka
			 Visas refused 8,434 8,231 7,875 
			 Appeals received 1,467 954 1,046 
			 Appeals allowed 1,184 671 547 
			 
			  Zimbabwe
			 Visas refused 7,660 6,463 6,433 
			 Appeals received 2,463 2,697 2,577 
			 Appeals allowed 741 1,186 1,110 
			  Note: These data are unpublished and should be treated as provisional.  Source: Central Reference System

Entry Clearances

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will include medical qualifications in the criteria for awarding a Tier 1 visa.

Phil Woolas: On 23 February the Home Secretary asked the Migration Advisory Committee what further changes to the criteria for Tier 1 there should be in 2010-11, given the changing economic circumstances. The Committee are due to report back to the Government in October. There are no plans to amend the Tier 1 points criteria before that time.
	However, this is not to say that overseas doctors are unable to work in the UK. It is open for them to do so through Tier 2. Where they are a postgraduate doctor who has studied in the UK the UK Border Agency will, exceptionally, allow the NHS and others to recruit graduates of UK medical schools from overseas under Tier 2 of the points based system without first testing the resident labour market. This concession, which we will apply to the current round of recruitment, will allow these doctors open access to jobs in the UK's health sector, allowing them to continue their careers here.

Entry Clearances

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for the UK Border Agency's Tier 1 (General) Category Visa Programme have been  (a) denied and  (b) subsequently upheld at appeal since the introduction of new rules on 29 February 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: As of 31 May 2009, 7,279 overseas visa applications under Tier 1 (general) of the points based system had been refused. There is no right of appeal on immigration grounds against decisions to refuse visa applications under the points based system, including Tier 1.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average it took for an overseas student to extend a visa in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 19 June 2009
	During the last 12 months the average time taken to decide an application for extension of leave for an overseas student was 44 days.

Immigration

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2009,  Official Report, column 667W, on immigration, if he will take steps to expedite his decision in the case with his Department's reference G1082747; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 29 June 2009
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 27 April 2009 with the latest position on the case of G1082747 and this remains the position.

Immigration: Bicester

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on the proposed immigration removal centre in Bicester; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The leader of Cherwell district council wrote to the chief executive of the UK Border Agency on 18 May to highlight his council's hope that we would proceed with the site at Bullingdon as a first preference. The chief executive replied on 28 May explaining that as we had secured planning permission for a centre at both Bullingdon and Bedford, we are considering which site to develop first, and that a decision will be announced in the autumn.

Immigration: Zimbabwe

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of Zimbabwean nationals  (a) resident and  (b) who have applied for residency in England in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The Office for National Statistics collects data on nationality from the Annual Population Survey which covers residents of the UK. For the 12 month period from October 2007 to September 2008, I understand that it is estimated that the number of people with Zimbabwean nationality resident in England was 63,000. The margin of error around this estimate is +/-11,000. These are the latest estimates available.
	Information relating to the number of Zimbabwean nationals who have applied for residency in England in the last 12 months is not held centrally by UKBA.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were recruited by the Serious and Organised Crime Agency in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

Alan Johnson: The total number of permanent staff recruited by the Serious Organised Crime Agency in each of the last three financial years was:
	
		
			   Number 
			  (a) 2006-07 144 
			  (b) 2007-08 107 
			  (c) 2008-09 107

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in bonuses to  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Serious Organised Crime Agency in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Serious Organised Crime Agency was established on 1 April 2006. Only staff at grades equivalent to the senior civil service are contractually entitled to be considered for bonus payments. The payments made relate to performance during the previous financial year and the total figures for all such payments were:
	
		
			   
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Board Members 10,000 2,000 20,000 
			 Deputy Directors 0 35,000 158,358

Wildlife: Crime

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for offences related to wildlife crime there were in each of the last 10 years.

Claire Ward: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the number of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Deer Act 1991, Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997, and the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, in England and Wales from 1998 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  N umber of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Deer Act 1991, Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997, and the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, in England and Wales for the years 1998 to 2007( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			   Found guilty 
			 1998 70 
			 1999 70 
			 2000 64 
			 2001 96 
			 2002 64 
			 2003 63 
			 2004 96 
			 2005 66 
			 2006 130 
			 2007 56 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3 )Includes the following Statutes:  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981  Protection of Badgers Act 1992  Deer Act 1991  Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997  Conservation of Seals Act 1970 (4 )Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source:  Evidence and Analysis UnitOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma: Ethnic Groups

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has made to the government of Burma on the military offensive against the Karen ethnic group; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had at the United Nations on the Burmese offensive against the Karen ethnic group.

Ivan Lewis: We are deeply concerned about the situation in Karen State and reports of renewed fighting between the Karen National Union and the Democratic Karen Buddhist army, who are supported by the Burmese army. Attacks carried out by the Burmese army and their Karen client organisations on civilians in Karen State have been particularly intense over the past two years. We hope to highlight our concerns in a UN Security Council discussion on the protection of civilians in armed conflict on 26 June 2009.
	We have repeatedly called for a halt to such offensives and have urged both the military regime and the Karen National Union to intensify their efforts to find a peaceful settlement that will bring about a permanent end to the conflict. Most recently at meetings between our ambassador and Burmese Ministers on 18 and 19 June 2009. In response to the recent upsurge in violence and reports of large numbers of civilians fleeing over the Thai border, the Czech presidency of the EU, with our strong support, issued a statement on 11 June 2009 calling for an end to the hostilities. It expressed particular concern about the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict. We fully support this call and our embassy in Rangoon continues to monitor the situation closely.

Colombia

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used in assessing the merits of negotiating trade agreements with Colombia; and what consideration is given to the application of EU policy on human rights in relation to such negotiations.

Chris Bryant: The key economic criteria for the EU's free-trade agreement partners should be market potential (economic size and growth) and the level of protection against EU export interests (tariffs and non-tariff barriers). This was set out in the 2006 Global Europe Paper. The UK is working within the EU to ensure that any free trade agreement with the Andean countries takes account of the EU stance on human rights in Colombia in this context.

Colombia

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had at EU level on the conditions relating to the  (a) labour rights and  (b) human rights policies of the Colombian government to which negotiation of the proposed free trade agreement between the EU and Colombia is subject.

Chris Bryant: The UK remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Colombia. The UK is working within the EU to ensure that any free trade agreement with Colombia includes a link to a human rights clause as an essential element.

Delara Darabi

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the government of Iran on the execution of Delara Darabi on 1 May 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We were appalled to learn of the execution of Delara Darabi on 1 May 2009 for a crime she had allegedly committed at the age of 17. The EU, with strong UK support, issued a declaration on 2 May 2009 condemning her execution and urging the Iranian authorities to eliminate the death penalty for juveniles from its penal code.
	In a press release issued on 7 May 2009 my predecessor, now the Minister for Armed Forces my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), echoed these sentiments and expressed our deep sorrow at the news. My hon. Friend also summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to condemn Ms Darabi's execution and the continued practice of executing juvenile offenders. He expressed concern at Iran's continued disregard for international human rights law; and reminded Iran of their freely undertaken obligations.
	Iran is signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both of which unequivocally prohibit the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by those under the age of 18.

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2009,  Official Report, column 917W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Chris Bryant: No payments of interest for late payment of commercial debts were made by Foreign and Commonwealth Office non-departmental public bodies in the last three years.

Departmental Contracts

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which companies his Department, excluding its overseas posts, entered into contracts in the last financial year.

Chris Bryant: The following list gives the companies with which the contracts teams in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and FCO Services have entered into new contracts during financial year 2008-09. It does not include contracts that were entered into prior to or after this period by these teams, or placed by others in the FCO in the UK during this period. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Adhunik Vatanukool;
	AES Electrical Systems;
	Alchemist Partnership Limited;
	ALCIS Ltd.;
	Alfaplan Gradenje;
	Ambrose HR Ltd.;
	Asbestos Removals Logistics Ltd.;
	ATG Access Ltd.;
	Avail Consulting;
	Balticare;
	Bramble.cc Ltd.;
	Bright Horizons Family solutions;
	Building Services Group Ltd.;
	Business Objects (UK) Limited;
	Bymaro;
	Cambridge Econometrics;
	Capita Group PLC;
	Certes Computing Ltd.;
	Coffey International Development Ltd.;
	Cogent Electrical Services Ltd.;
	Computacenter;
	Concerto Consulting;
	Controlled Building Services Ltd.;
	Coombs Consulting Ltd.;
	Corporate Value Associates;
	CP Recoveries;
	Cranfield University;
	Crown Agents;
	Data Capture Solutions;
	DGSI;
	Disposal Services Authority;
	Dytecna Limited;
	Ebla Translations;
	Elan;
	Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP;
	Fugro Middle East;
	G4S Security Services (UK) Limited;
	Gardaworld;
	Gilbert Ash Fit-Out;
	Gleeds (QS);
	Gleeds Building Surveying;
	GMW Architects;
	GP Supplies Limited;
	GTZ;
	Haig Consulting Ltd.;
	Hanover Aviation Consultants Ltd.;
	Hay Group Management Limited;
	Heathrow Airport Limited;
	Hoare Lea;
	HOK International;
	Intuity Consulting Ltd.;
	Jedi Systems Consulting Ltd.;
	Jordan + Bateman;
	Kellogg Brown and Root Limited;
	Knight Frank;
	KPMG LLP;
	LA International;
	Mayfair Building Services;
	MCI UK Ltd.;
	Methods Consulting;
	Minimal Risk Consultancy Ltd.;
	Morson Human Resources Ltd.;
	Morson International;
	Mott MacDonald;
	NSSL;
	ODEC Ltd.;
	Olive Group;
	ORC International;
	Orostream International Contracts Ltd.;
	Ove Arup;
	Oxford Policy Management Ltd.;
	PA Consulting Group;
	Parity;
	Pemco Co. Ltd.;
	Pepco Energy Services;
	PMR Products Ltd.;
	Projected Consulting Ltd.;
	Purcon Ltd.;
	QA Ltd.;
	Ridge and Partners;
	RN Golds Associates;
	RPS Health Safety;
	SMA Ltd.;
	South Midlands Communication;
	Spire Business Support Ltd.;
	Thales UK Ltd.;
	The Carbon Trust;
	TMP (UK) Ltd.;
	Toffco SDN BHD;
	TPS Consult;
	Tribal Consulting;
	UCT Ltd.;
	Venn Group Ltd.;
	Veredus;
	Windell Ltd.;
	Zeal Interiors.

Departmental Opinion Polls

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 435W, on departmental opinion polls, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Survey of partners across Government.

David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office survey of Partners Across Government 2009 has just been completed and the report is currently being finalised. Once the final report is available a copy will be placed in the Library.

Eritrea: Human Rights

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the human rights situation in Eritrea; and what steps he plans to take to have human rights included on the Article 8 Political Dialogue agenda for discussion between the EU and Eritrea.

Ivan Lewis: Our ambassador to Eritrea regularly discusses the human rights situation with her EU counterparts in Asmara. The chief reason for these discussions is to raise human rights issues with the Government of Eritrea as part of the Article 8 Political Dialogue.
	In furtherance of the EU's desire to discuss human rights with the Government of Eritrea, the EU Heads of Mission produced a human rights report at the end of January. Since initial discussions earlier this year the Government of Eritrea has twice refused to have human rights included on the Article 8 Political Dialogue agenda for discussion. However, when the EU Heads of Mission last met with the Government of Eritrea on 23 June 2009, we were encouraged by the Government of Eritrea proposing human rights form part of the agenda at the next Article 8 Political Dialogue meeting, scheduled for September.
	On 18 September 2008 the UK took part in the European Parliament Human Rights Committee discussion on how to address the growing human rights crisis in Eritrea. At this meeting various non-governmental organisations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, presented their human rights concerns to the Eritrean ambassador to Belgium and EU representatives.
	My noble Friend, the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown raised human rights with the Eritrean ambassador at the end of last year. In February 2009 Lord Malloch-Brown also took part in a debate in the House of Lords, which focused on the human rights situation in Eritrea.

Eritrea: Human Rights

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We continue to be concerned about reports of human rights abuses in Eritrea. A huge obstacle to making any factual assessment of the human rights situation in Eritrea is that the Eritrean police and security services are not willing to engage with our embassy on human rights abuses. This makes following up or corroborating reports of any abuses very difficult.
	The UK raises human rights issues with the Eritrean Government both in Asmara and with the Eritrean ambassador to London on a regular basis, highlighting the amount of public and parliamentary interest we receive. My noble Friend, the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown raised human rights with the Eritrean ambassador at the end of last year.
	We also discuss human rights as part of the EU via the Article 8 Political Dialogue. EU Heads of Mission produced a human rights report at the end of January to discuss with the Government of Eritrea. Since initial discussions earlier this year the government of Eritrea has twice refused to have human rights included on the Article 8 Political Dialogue agenda for discussion. However, when the EU Heads of Mission last met with the Government of Eritrea on 23 June 2009, we were encouraged by the Government of Eritrea proposing human rights form part of the agenda at the next Article 8 Political Dialogue meeting, scheduled for September.
	We will continue to seek to engage the government of Eritrea on human rights issues at both EU and bilateral levels.

G8: Meetings

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the meetings of  (a) G8 Heads of Government and  (b) G8 Foreign Ministers in 2010 and 2011 are scheduled to take place.

Ivan Lewis: In 2010 Canada will host the G8 summit for Heads of Government in Huntsville, on 25-27 June 2010. Dates for Canada's G8 Foreign Minister meeting have not yet been publicly announced.
	France holds the G8 presidency in 2011, but has not yet announced the dates for a Heads of Government summit or Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Iran: Demonstrations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise in the UN Council of Human Rights the handling by the authorities in Iran of the public demonstrations on the outcome of the recent presidential election.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 26 June 2009
	The UK regularly raises concerns about human rights in Iran, most recently at the 11th session of the UN Council of Human Rights which took place from 2-18 June 2009.
	The UK has strongly supported statements by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a joint statement under five UN Special Procedures. These statements voiced grave concern about the use of excessive police force, arbitrary arrests and killings in the Islamic Republic of Iran and urged the Iranian Government to refrain from using excessive force and to fully guarantee freedom of expression and assembly throughout the country.
	The next session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to take place from 7-25 September 2009, and the UK will continue to monitor the situation in Iran closely and raise concerns as appropriate.

Iran: Politics and Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the political situation in Iran.

Ivan Lewis: The political situation in Iran was discussed by EU Foreign Ministers, including my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, at the most recent European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council on 15-16 June 2009. The Council conclusions expressed strong concern about the violence and use of force against the protesters.
	The June European Council released a declaration on 19 June 2009 which also expressed concern about the Iranian authorities' reaction to post-election demonstrations and called on the Iranian authorities to investigate allegations of irregularities in the elections.
	We continue to keep in close touch with our European partners on the issue.

Iran: Politics and Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the political situation in Iran.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang by telephone since the Iranian elections. They agreed that the international community should follow the situation in Iran closely.

Iran: Politics and Government

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the safety of British nationals resident in Iran.

Ivan Lewis: On 22 June 2009 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Travel Advice was revised to recommend against all but essential travel to Iran. Consequently we withdrew the dependents of our staff.
	We do not believe that it is necessary to advise British citizens to leave Iran. However, we will continue to monitor the situation closely.
	We are investigating reports of the arrest of British nationals in Iran and have called on the Iranian authorities to allow consular access.

Israel: Prisoners

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the government of Israel on the welfare of Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli detention; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The administrative detention and treatment of Palestinian prisoners, especially Palestinian teenagers, in Israeli Prison Service facilities is a serious concern.
	We have called on the Israeli Government to take immediate action to ensure all cases are reviewed by a court in accordance with fair procedures, and that their rights, particularly the rights to a fair trial and family visitation, are upheld. We made our concerns clear during Israel's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the Human Rights Council in December 2008 and also in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 2008 Human Rights Report. We will continue to raise this with Israeli officials.

North Korea: Diplomatic Service

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many full-time staff his Department employs at its embassy in North Korea.

Ivan Lewis: There are four British diplomatic staff at our embassy in Pyongyang. Six North Korean nationals also work there, under local arrangements by the host Government for the provision of interpreting and maintenance services.

Nuclear Weapons

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on the Road to 2010 Plan in respect of the non-proliferation treaty review conference; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Work on the Road to 2010 Plan is progressing well and it remains our intention that it will be published this summer.

Nuclear Weapons: Arms Control

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will produce the Government's Road to 2010 Plan for the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review conference; what items will be included in the plan; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Road to 2010 plan is a cross-departmental effort that is co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office. As outlined in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's speech at Lancaster House on 17 March 2009, the plan will set out proposals in the following areas:
	The safe expansion of Civil Nuclear in the UK and globally;
	Fissile Material Security and Nuclear Counter-Terrorism;
	Disarmament and non-proliferation; and,
	The role and development of the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international institutions.

Sudan: Elections

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sudanese government on the allocation of funding to non-governmental organisations to support the forthcoming elections.

Ivan Lewis: We regularly discuss support to elections with the National Elections Commission (NEC), the body charged by the Sudanese Government with delivering elections. The NEC has not yet finalised the budget for elections, which we expect will include allocations of funding for non-government organisations.
	We are also in close contact with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which oversees basket funds provided by donors to support elections. We want significant funds to be made available for civic educationthe bulk of these activities would be implemented by non-government organisationsand we have emphasised this to UNDP.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has provided to the Doha peace talks on Darfur; what recent steps he has taken to seek to secure progress in those talks; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The UK strongly supports the African Union/UN political process for Darfur led by Joint Chief Mediator Bassole and welcomes also Qatar's important contribution. We have committed 1 million to support the process.
	We welcomed the signing in Doha on 17 February 2009 of an initial agreement by the Government of Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). We have urged the parties to fully implement the commitments they made. We support the mediators' intention to engage other Darfur leaders and also civil society in further discussions.
	The UK Special Representative for Sudan, together with his P5 and EU counterparts, reaffirmed their support for the Darfur political process in a meeting in Qatar on 27 May 2009. They jointly urged the Government of Sudan and JEM to show flexibility, stressed the need for input from all sectors of Darfuri society, and reiterated calls for all parties to urgently accept the invitation extended by the mediators.
	We continue to maintain contact with the government of Sudan and other parties to the conflict to urge them to take concrete steps to find a just and lasting solution to the problems of Darfur.

Terrorism: Compensation

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much compensation has been paid to foreign nationals who were victims of terrorism in the UK in each year since 1997.

Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply 
	as the Minister for Humanitarian Assistance.
	The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority does not maintain records for the nationalities of those to whom it makes criminal injuries compensation awards. However, the numbers of awards made under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS) to overseas residents who were victims of terrorism in the UK, and the total value of these awards, for the years 1997-98 to 2008-09 are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of awards made under the CICS to individuals with addresses outside the UK  Total value of awards () 
			 1997-98 0 0 
			 1998-99 0 0 
			 1999-2000 0 0 
			 2000-01 1 2,713 
			 2001-02 1 3,225 
			 2002-03 0 0 
			 2003-04 0 0 
			 2004-05 0 0 
			 2005-06 6 44,001 
			 2006-07 11 79,807 
			 2007-08 16 185,266 
			 2008-09 3 539,491

Terrorism: Compensation

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which countries he has made representations regarding compensation for British victims of overseas terrorism.

Ivan Lewis: An EU Council Directive of 29 April 2004 requires EU member states to provide fair and appropriate compensation to victims of intentional crime committed in a member state. Many countries outside the EU also offer compensation to foreign nationals who are victims of terrorism in their countries. Where other governments have compensation schemes, we help signpost them to families if an offer of compensation has not been immediately forthcoming from the country in which the incident took place.
	For countries that do not have compensation schemes, we encourage governments to pay compensation to British victims of overseas terrorism. The issue of compensation schemes has been raised with a number of countries, with the aim of more governments around the world compensating victims of terrorism, as the Government does if there is a terrorist incident in the UK.

Terrorism: Compensation

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK nationals affected by overseas terrorism have been assisted by exceptional assistance measures since 2006; and how much each such measure cost.

Ivan Lewis: Since the Exceptional Assistance Measures were announced to Parliament in June 2008, they have been activated for two incidents affecting British nationals who have been victims of terrorism overseas: to assist the families of those affected by the Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008, and more recently to cover the costs of repatriating the bodies of two British nationals who were kidnapped in Iraq in 2007. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided assistance to the six families affected by these two incidents. The current figure for the Mumbai attacks stands at 7,592 and at 20,000 for the Iraq kidnap repatriation costs.

Western Sahara: Fisheries

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 228W, on Western Sahara: fisheries, if he will make it his policy to seek the inclusion of a reference to Western Sahara in any future proposed agreement between the EU and Morocco on fisheries.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans at present to seek the inclusion of a reference to the territory of Western Sahara in any future EU fisheries agreement with Morocco.
	Future negotiations on the expiry of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) will take into account any changes in the situation of Western Sahara that may occur before the FPA's expiry in 2011.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Cultural Heritage: Theft

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the findings contained in English Heritage's Nighthawking Survey; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 30 June 2009
	 English Heritage are preparing a draft implementation plan for how they will respond to the recommendations of the Nighthawking Survey. They expect this to be ready shortly and will work with partners in the historic environment sector to implement it in the following months.

Digital Switchover: Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing the recommendations made in the Digital Britain report; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Digital Britain report makes a number of recommendations that will involve public expenditure. Estimates of the cost of implementing them, where available, are set out here. Some proposals are subject to further consultation and discussion with stakeholders that will have a bearing on the final cost. These estimates do not include public sector staff or administration costs, or areas where further work is planned but no policy decision has yet been taken.
	As outlined in the report, the main sources of funding proposed besides general taxation are a new 50 pence per month levy on fixed copper lines, the underspend on the Digital Television Switchover Help Scheme (subject to further consultation with the BBC Trust), and a contained contestable element of the TV Licence Fee from 2013 onwards, on which a public consultation was launched on 30 June.
	 Cost estimates
	Universal Access to Broadband: estimated cost 200 million, based on current estimates of the Digital Switchover Help Scheme underspend. Other public sector organisations including the devolved authorities and regional development agencies may also contribute over the life of the project.
	The National Plan for Digital Participation: up to 12 million.
	Next Generation Access Broadband Networks Final Third project: to be funded by a centrally held Next Generation Fund raised through a proposed 50p per month levy on fixed copper lines, expected to raise 150-175 million per year. A further 150,000 is to be made available to help establish an Independent Networks Cooperative Association.
	Research: the Technology Strategy Board has committed to fund a 10 million digital test beds programme, and a 30 million digital innovation programme.
	Support for SMEs: up to 23 million over next three years will be spent on pilot business support interventions for SMEs to assist them to exploit advanced ICT to transform their business processes.
	 Cost estimates not yet available
	Mobile spectrum refarming: the Government have agreed to meet the costs incurred by broadcasters and Programme Making and Special Events users as a result of spectrum reallocation. Discussions are being held with Ofcom, the PMSE community and broadcasters to determine the level of costs involved and on what basis, and how, costs will be met.
	Independently Funded News Consortia: the extent of public funding necessary will depend on the scope of IFNCs and the funding model adopted. Both will be among the issues tested by the planned pilots.

English Heritage: Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what income English Heritage has derived from the heritage sites it owns and manages in the last 12 months; and what proportion of that income was used to meet expenditure on  (a) site maintenance,  (b) publicity and  (c) staffing.

Barbara Follett: English Heritage advises that its total expenditure on the conservation, maintenance, capital development and operational management of its property portfolio in 2008-09 was 64.4 million. Earned income was 41.2 million. The following table shows expenditure for site maintenance, property related publicity and staffing of properties as a proportion of that income:
	
		
			  2008-09 
			   Expenditure ( million)  Expenditure as a proportion of earned income (percentage) 
			 Property maintenance 11.9 29 
			 Property related publicity 3.3 8 
			 Property based staff 16.3 39 
		
	
	The remainder of earned income derived goes towards funding areas including education, outreach and non-site based staff.

English Heritage: Monuments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress his Department has made in designating intertidal wreck sites as ancient monuments; what recent discussions he has had with English Heritage on that matter; what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals for the designation of wreck sites; and what assessment he has made of the merits of designating the Purton Hulks site, Gloucestershire, as an ancient monument.

Barbara Follett: Decisions on whether to designate monuments that meet the criteria set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 and the non-statutory criteria set out in PPG 16: Archaeology and Planning are taken on a case-by-case basis. No wreck sites in English waters have been designated as scheduled monuments since 2004, nor has the Department had recent discussions with English Heritage on the matter of scheduling intertidal wreck sites.
	The site of the Purton Hulks is already afforded statutory protection as it lies within the Severn estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is therefore already subject to statutory controls in respect of nature conservation interests. English Heritage recently met Natural England, British Waterways and local stakeholders specifically to address co-ordinated management of the site, and to define the significance of the assemblage of vessels.
	Legislative proposals for reforming the designation of marine heritage assets, including wreck sites, are included in the draft Heritage Protection Bill. We remain committed to bringing this forward at the earliest opportunity.

Sport: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department plans to provide for sport-related activities in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in 2009-10.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England have advised that the total projected investment in sport in Essex and Castle Point cannot be determined at this point.
	Sport England has recently invested 120 million in national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport to deliver grassroots sport in the community for the period 2009-10. The NGBs are defining what they need for their sport at a national, regional and sub-regional level to ensure more people play and enjoy their sport. Investment will in turn be directed by NGBs into areas where they believe it will best achieve their, and Sport England's, strategic outcomes. These areas will vary from sport to sport and region to region. Essex is set to benefit when funding is released from the NGBs over the coming year.
	It is possible to say, though, that Sport England is planning to invest 2,338,411(1) in sport in Essex for the financial year 2009-10.
	This includes:
	
		
			  (i) Community projects 
			
			 Basildon Sports Village 500,000 
			 Southend on Sea Swimming Pool 500,000 
			 Sport at Mark Hall School 278,138 
			 Thorpe Bay Yacht Club 67,794 
		
	
	 (ii) Sport Unlimited
	Sport Unlimited is an integral part of the Government's PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP)the five hour offer. The overall aim of Sport Unlimited is to increase opportunities for Children and Young People aged five to 19 to participate regularly in sport.
	It will do this by providing a range of attractive and sustainable opportunities in sporting activities for young people from the 'semi sporty population segment' to take part in out of school hours during term time and will focus on out of school hours and 'club' activities both within school and community settings.
	In Essex and Castle Point, approximately 344,425 is currently assigned this financial year to deliver projects across the city.
	 (iii) Step into Sport
	Focuses on young people aged 14 to 19, giving them opportunities to become involved in sports leadership and volunteering and encouraging them to continue this into later life. The programme is funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as part of the PESSYP strategy, which is revitalising PE and school sport across the country. Essex has been awarded 22,000 for 2009-10.
	 (iv) Free Swimming
	Castle Point has been allocated 110,062 of funding under the Free Swimming Programme and Colchester borough council have been awarded 105,705 of funding for the refurbishment of fitness pool facilities at Colchester Leisure World.
	(1) This is taken from Sport England's annual projected cash flow and may not be the actual figure at the end of this financial year as some organisations may not draw down the required funds until 2010-11.

Sports: Public Participation

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which types of activity are included in his Department's target of getting two million people more active ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There is a cross-departmental commitment to get 2 million more people more active, with my Department, through Sport England, primarily responsible for getting 1 million more people playing more sport as part of this. Activities are included within this 1 million target on the basis that they are recognised as sports by the Home Country Sports Councils, and that each can be performed at least at moderate intensity. The following list gives details of these activities and their eligibility:
	 Equestrian
	Horse riding
	Horse ridingdressage
	Horse ridingpony trekking
	Horse ridingshow jumping
	Horse ridingthree day eventing
	Harness racing(1)
	Trotting(1)
	Polo
	 Climbing/mountaineering
	Climbingice
	Climbingindoor/wall climbing
	Climbingrock/rock climbing
	Climbingrope
	Climbingsolo
	Climbingsport
	Abseiling(1)
	Mountaineering
	Mountaineeringhigh altitude
	Bouldering(1)
	Caving/pot holing(1)
	 Hockey
	Hockeyfield
	Hockeyice
	Hockeyroller
	Hockeystreet
	 Sailing
	Sailing (cruising or racing) catamaran and multihull
	Sailing (cruising or racing)dinghy
	Sailing (cruising or racing)ice
	Sailing (cruising or racing)keelboat
	Sailing (cruising or racing)other
	Yachtingland(1)
	Yachting (cruising or racing)ice
	Yachting (cruising or racing)inshore/coastal
	Yachting (cruising or racing)ocean
	Yachting (cruising or racing)offshore
	Yachting (cruising or racing)other
	Windsurfing or boardsailing
	Jet ski-ing/aquabike/personal water craft(3)
	 Running and jogging
	Runningcross country/beach/fell running
	Runningroad
	Runningtrack
	Runningultra marathon
	Jogging
	 Martial Arts
	Judo
	Ju-jitsu
	Kabaddi(1)
	Karate
	Martial arts
	Martial artsChinese
	Taekwondo
	Tai Chi
	Tang Soo Do
	Aikaido
	Kendo
	Self defence
	 Swimming/diving
	Swimmingdeep water
	Swimmingopen water
	Swimming/diving (indoors)
	Swimming/diving (outdoors)
	Divingdeep water/free3
	 Athletics
	Athleticsfield
	Athleticstrack
	 Canoeing/kayaking
	Kayaking(1)
	Kayakingwhitewater1
	Canoe polo(1)
	Canoeing(1)
	 Gym/fitness activities
	Gym
	Aerobics/step aerobics
	Body attack
	Body balance
	Body building
	Body combat/cardio kick
	Body jam
	Body pump
	Body step
	Body Vive
	Exercise bike/exercise machine/spinning class
	Skipping
	Boxercise
	Conditioning activities/circuit training/assault course/stretching/toning
	Cross training
	Dance exercise
	Health and fitness
	Step machine/Air walker/airwalk/airwalker
	Keepfit/keep fit/sit ups
	Yoga(2)
	Pilates(2)
	Weight training
	Aquafit/Aquacise/Aqua aerobics/aqua aerobics/aqua fit/water aerobics(1)
	 Walking
	Walkingcliff(1)
	Walkinggorge(1)
	Walkinghill walking(1)
	Walking/power walking(1)
	Rambling(1)
	Hill trekking(1)
	 Snowsports
	Ski flying
	Skiing
	Skiingbarefoot snow
	Skiingbarefoot water
	Skiingextreme
	Skiingfree
	Skiinggrass or dry ski slope
	Skiingmono
	Skiing-parachute
	Skiingribbing
	Skiingspeed
	Snowboarding
	Telemark
	 Cycling
	Recreational Cycling(3)
	Cycling(3)
	Cyclo-cross(3)
	Mountain biking(3)
	BMX(3)
	Bicycle polo
	 Football
	Football/soccer (include 5 and 6-a-side and 11-a-side) (indoors)
	Football/soccer (include 5 and 6-a-side and 11-a-side) (outdoors)
	Futsal(1)
	 Racquet sports
	Squash
	Racketball
	Badminton
	Tennis/real tennis/short tennis
	 Rugby
	Rugby League
	Rugby Union
	Tag rugby
	Touch rugby
	 Wrestling
	WrestlingCumberland(1)
	Wrestlingfreestyle/sumo wrestling(1)
	WrestlingGreco Roman(1)
	Wrestling Olympic(1)
	 Gaelic sports
	Gaelic football
	Gaelic sports
	Hurling
	Irish handball
	Curling
	 Wheelchair sports
	Wheelchair sportsarchery(1)
	Wheelchair sportsbasketball(1)
	Wheelchair sportsrugby(1)
	Wheelchair sportstable tennis(1)
	Wheelchair sportstennis(1)
	 Motorsports
	Motorcyclingmotorcross
	Motorcyclingoff road
	Motorcyclingtrail riding
	Motor racing/banger racing
	Motor sprints
	Motorcyclingtrials riding
	Motorcyclingenduro
	Motorcyclingsuper moto
	Motorcyclingtrack racing
	Motorcyclingdrag/sprint
	Motorcyclingrallying
	Motorcyclingsidecar racing
	Rally Cross
	Rallying
	Road racing (motors)
	Trials racing
	Karting
	Go Karting
	Auto Cross
	Motorcyclingspeedway
	Drag racing
	Autotests
	Hill Climb
	 Air sports
	Sky diving
	Soaring(1)
	Parachuting(1)
	Paragliding(1)
	Gliding(1)
	Hang-gliding(1)
	 Gymnastics
	Gymnastics
	Trampolining/trampoline(1)
	 Baseball/softball
	Softball
	Baseball
	 Other aquatic sports
	Sub aqua/SCUBA diving(1)
	Snorkelling(1)
	Hockeyunderwater
	Octopush(1)
	Water polo(1)
	 Other team sports/activities
	American football
	Australian Rules
	Football(1)
	Basketball
	Bowls(3)
	Camogie
	Cricket
	Dodgeball(1)
	Fivesrugby(1)
	Netball
	Rounders
	Stoolball
	Ultimate Frisbee(1)
	Volleyball
	Floorball(1)
	Polocrosse(1)
	Tug of war(1)
	Handball(1)
	Korfball(1)
	Lacrosse
	 Other sports
	Angling(1)
	Archery(2)
	Arm wrestling(1)
	Baton twirling
	Biathlon
	Body boarding(1)
	Bobsleigh(1)
	Boccia(1)
	Boxing
	Cheerleading
	Croquet(2)
	Dragon boat racing(1)
	Fencing
	FivesEton(1)
	Frisby/Frisbee(1)
	Golf/pitch and putt/putting
	High wire(1)
	Highland Games(1)
	Hovering(1)
	Ice skating
	Kite surfing/kite boarding(1)
	Life saving
	Luge(1)
	Lugestreet(1)
	Medau(1)
	Mine exploration(1)
	Modern pentathlon(1)
	Orienteering
	Powerboat racing(1)
	Powerlifting
	Rafting/white water rafting(1)
	Roller blading/roller skating(1)
	Rowing
	Sea fishing(1)
	Skateboarding
	Skatingin-line/inline skating
	Sombo
	Surfing/boardsurfing/board surfing(1)
	Surf life saving
	Sportsboats(1)
	Table tennis(1)
	Tobogganing/sledging/sledding(1)
	Triathlon
	Wake boarding/wakeboarding(1)
	Waterskiing
	Weightlifting
	(1 )Respondents are asked about the intensity they did the activity at and only included if at least moderate intensity. All other sports on the list above are automatically classified as at least moderate intensity.
	(2) Included in the '1 million' indicatorfor people aged 65 and over
	(3) To contribute to the '1 million' indicator cycling activity must be undertaken for at least once a week, 30 minutes, moderate intensity
	Examples of activities that will contribute to the wider, cross-Government target to get 2 million people more active are outlined in Be Active Be Healthy on the Department of Health website:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_094358

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's humanitarian aid to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has worked with partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP) to respond quickly to the changing humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Since January 2008, DFID has committed 22.5 million to support those worst affected by high food prices and drought. 17 million of our support was channelled through emergency appeals led by the WFP. These funds helped reach 8.7 million vulnerable people.
	The 2009 Humanitarian Action Plan for Afghanistan was launched on 3 February 2009. Led by the United Nations, it represents a major step towards a coherent and prioritised strategy to alleviate the pressing humanitarian needs of the Afghan people. The plan will help guide DFID's response to future humanitarian appeals. It is available on the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs website:
	http://ochaonline.un.org/

Bangladesh: Overseas Aid

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's aid programmes for agriculture and development in Bangladesh of the Tipaimukh Dam construction project; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not carried out an assessment of the impacts of the Tipaimukh hydro-electric dam on our aid to agriculture and development in Bangladesh. It is an issue for the Governments of India and Bangladesh. DFID is supporting, with the World Bank, the South Asia Water Initiative which enables a process of dialogue among south Asian countries on common rivers and dispute resolution.

Departmental Manpower

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any full-time equivalent members of staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) its associated public bodies are working on projects relating to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Michael Foster: There are no full-time equivalent members of staff in the Department for International Development (DFID) working exclusively on projects relating to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
	DFID's involvement in the games is through providing funding to the International Inspiration Programme, which is co-ordinated by the UK Government's Olympic Executive. As DFID does not manage the International Inspiration Programme directly, only a small amount of one full-time equivalent staff member's time is spent on monitoring the project management of the initiative.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which  (a) sections of his Department and  (b) non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have requested money saved from efficiency savings to be used for increased pay in their 2009 pay offers to staff.

Michael Foster: No sections or non-departmental public bodies of the Department for International Development (DFID) have asked for monies gained from efficiency savings to be used for pay increases in the 2009 pay offer to staff.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 20 April 2009,  Official Report, column 485W, on departmental public expenditure, which projects funded by the Returns and Reintegration Fund counted as official development assistance; what the cost of each project was; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	One Returns and Reintegration Fund project counts as official development assistance. The Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders and Deported Persons programme supports the Jamaican Department for Correctional Services in rehabilitating and reintegrating Jamaican ex-offenders including former Jamaican prisoners returning from the UK. The project's aim is to reduce reoffending and improve security in Jamaica, and thereby to remove one of the main constraints to long-term economic development.
	The total budget for this three year project is 2.97 million, with 2.035 million currently being financed from the fund. Project spend in financial year 2008-09 was approximately 170,000.

Departmental Publications

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to publish his Department's forthcoming White Paper on International Development

Douglas Alexander: The forthcoming White Paper on International Development will be laid before Parliament prior to the summer recess.

Developing Countries: Languages

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had on the promotion of regional languages in developing countries.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	As the Government Department responsible for policy on international human rights, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office encourages governments to protect the rights of all their citizens, including those belonging to minorities. We regularly raise the situation of those belonging to minorities in countries where we judge that protection of their rights is lacking. Our approach is guided in particular by Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Development Aid

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources his Department has committed to developing countries for  (a) improving maternal health and  (b) address sexual and reproductive (i) health and (ii) rights in each of the next three years.

Michael Foster: The UK Government are committed to spending 6 billion on strengthening health systems and services over the seven years to 2015. The Department for International Development's (DFID) country-led development approach is to support recipient governments to spend development assistance on the priorities they set themselves for helping their people out of poverty. These priorities are identified by analysis of the key health needs within countriesincluding sexual, reproductive and maternal health and rights. Direct support to governments is complimented by support to civil society and other implementing partners.

Development Aid

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to fund programmes for the  (a) screening and  (b) treatment of ante-natal syphilis in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The UK Government are investing 6 billion up to 2015 to strengthen health systems that will help to ensure that women in poor countries have access to quality reproductive health care.
	The focus of Department for International Development (DFID) supported health system strengthening is to ensure that evidence-based, cost-effective interventionssuch as syphilis screening and treatment in antenatal careare accessible to all who need them.
	The International Health Partnership, which was launched by the Prime Minister in September 2007, will help ensure that donor resources are better co-ordinated, that they back strong national health development plans and that they focus on strengthening health systems to deliver better services and improved health outcomes.

Gaza

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent assessment is of the humanitarian situation in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The recent conflict intensified an already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza. While the pace of deterioration has slowed since the ceasefire in January, the humanitarian situation remains extremely serious.
	Most basic foodstuffs are now available in Gaza. However, high prices and access restrictions on many other food items mean that around 90 per cent. of Gazans are still partly dependent on food aid.
	Success of the humanitarian response and early recovery effort requires opening of the crossings from Israel in order to allow movement of materials and personnel into Gaza. The UK continues to press the Israeli Government on this issue.

India: Overseas Aid

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make it his policy to fund rehabilitation and community development projects in Kandmahal, Orissa State, India.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) is providing 10 million for community development in Orissa through the Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP) from 2004-10. So far, OTELP has helped increase incomes, reduce malnutrition and improve water and sanitation for over 375,000 tribal men and women in four districts, including Kandmahal.

Maternal Health Strategy

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department has made on preparing its forthcoming annual update on the implementation of its maternal health strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development's (DFID) strategy Reducing maternal deaths: evidence and action was published in September 2004. Three progress reports have been published since thenin December 2005, April 2007 and June 2008.
	We will update our existing maternal health strategy and incorporate into this our existing position paper on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (published July 2004). In producing the updated strategy will we draw on our experience to date of implementing our existing strategy and the information in our three progress reports. We have also commissioned an evidence paper to inform our thinking which should be completed in autumn 2009.

Maternal Health Strategy

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how he plans to consult stakeholders in the fields of  (a) sexual and reproductive rights and  (b) HIV/AIDS in preparing his Department's annual update on the implementation of its maternal health strategy.

Michael Foster: Earlier this year the Department for International Development (DFID) held an initial stakeholder workshop on the development of the new strategy with representatives from across the sexual and reproductive health and rights, maternal health and HIV and AIDS communities. The feedback from this event confirmed our view that the new strategy should cover both Millennium Development Goal 5 targets (5a to reduce maternal mortality and 5b to provide universal access to reproductive health).
	In producing the updated strategy will we draw on our experience to date of implementing our existing strategy and the information in our three progress reports. We have also commissioned an evidence paper to inform our thinking which should be completed in autumn 2009. We will continue to consult with interested stakeholders as we move forward with the strategy development.

Pakistan: International Assistance

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate has been made of the number of humanitarian  (a) groups and  (b) workers operating in Peshawar; and what recent assessment has been made of their capacity to meet the need for humanitarian assistance in that region.

Michael Foster: There are approximately 55 international humanitarian agencies working in the North West Frontier Province supporting those displaced by conflict. Many of these agencies have staff based in or visiting Peshawar, but most are primarily based in Islamabad. The Department for International Development (DFID) has not made an estimate of the number of humanitarian workers based in Peshawar as it is not an effective indicator of humanitarian capacity for operating in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) more generally.

Parliamentary Questions: Government Responses

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to answer Question 272379, on official development assistance, tabled on 28 April 2009.

Michael Foster: Question 272379 has been transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for answer. A response will be issued shortly.

Sri Lanka: International Assistance

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate has been made of the number of  (a) aid agencies and  (b) humanitarian workers operating in camps for displaced people in northern Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: In Vavuniya District, where the majority of internally displaced people (IDPs) are located, as of 28 June, the Department for International Development (DFID) estimates that there are approximately 40 local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), 27 international NGOs, 11 UN agencies, two donor missions and four Red Cross entities (Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, International Committee of the Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross and German Red Cross). As many of these organisations have staff who also work in other districts it is difficult to estimate numbers of workers, but at any one time there may be between 500 and 1,000 workers engaged in humanitarian activities in Vavuniya District, not counting daily labourers.

Thailand and Burma

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the government of Thailand on the welfare and living conditions of people who have left eastern Burma owing to the renewed military operation in that region; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: Staff based in the British embassy in Bangkok have been in contact with the Thai Ministry of the Interior, and with non-governmental organisations working on the Thailand-Burma border, about the welfare and living conditions of recently arrived refugees from eastern Burma.
	Humanitarian assistance for the refugees is being provided by the Thai authorities, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and non-governmental organisations. This assistance includes food, plastic sheeting for shelter, blankets, bed-nets and medical care. Planning is under way to prepare a new site in Thailand to accommodate the refugees.
	The Department for International Development plans to provide about 7.4 million over the next three years to support Burmese refugees in Thailand and internally displaced people inside Burma.

Thailand and Burma

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent assessment is of the humanitarian situation on the Thai-Burmese border.

Michael Foster: Latest estimates from the Government of Thailand, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) suggest that about 3,200 refugees have recently entered Thailand to escape fighting in eastern Burma.
	Immediate humanitarian assistance for the refugees is being provided by the Thai authorities, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and non- governmental organisations. This assistance includes food, plastic sheeting for shelter, blankets, bed-nets and medical care. Planning is underway to prepare a new site in Thailand to accommodate the refugees.
	The Department for International Development plans to provide about 7.4 million over the next three years to support Burmese refugees in Thailand and internally displaced people inside Burma.

CABINET OFFICE

Charities: Economic Downturn

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what her Department's latest assessment is of the effects of the recession on charities.

Angela Smith: In recognition of the challenges for the challenges for the sector during the recession, we have provided a significant package of support for the third sector of up to 42.5 million of targeted support, plus the 16.7 million hardship fund announced in the Budget in April, plus the 1.2 billion future jobs fund which the sector will have a share in.
	This comprehensive package of measures includes support for volunteers, grants to small organisations, social enterprises, support for jobs, and loans to assist partnership working.

Charities: Economic Downturn

Danny Alexander: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what her Department's latest assessment is of the effects of the recession on charities.

Angela Smith: We recognise there is a double challenge for the sector during the economic downturnan increased demand for services and concerns about their financial viability.
	In response to that we have provided a significant package of support for the third sector of up to 42.5 million of targeted support which is delivering real help now, plus the 16.7 million hardship fund announced in the Budget in April, plus the 1.2 billion future jobs fund which the sector will have a share in.
	This comprehensive package of measures includes support for volunteers, grants to small organisations, social enterprises, support for jobs and loans to assist partnership working.

Business Disruption Plans

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps her Department is taking as part of its civil contingencies responsibilities to increase the proportion of small businesses which have a business disruption plan.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today.

Emergency Planning College

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she last visited her Department's Emergency Planning College to discuss its work; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I was appointed as Minister for the Cabinet Office on 5 June 2009 and have not yet visited the Emergency Planning college.
	I will receive regular updates from the head of the civil contingencies secretariat on all civil contingencies matters.

Lobbying: Government

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of information which is published about relations between Government and lobbyists.

Angela Smith: Ministers meet many people as part of the process of policy development and analysis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	The Government are currently considering a recommendation from the Public Administration Select Committee on this issue and will respond shortly.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Apprentices

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people in apprenticeships became unemployed in  (a) the last six months for which figures are available and  (b) the six-month period a year before that six-month period.

Kevin Brennan: We do not currently hold data centrally about the total number of apprentices made redundant. Arrangements are in place from 1 August 2009 onwards to record the number of apprentices who are made redundant. Working with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) we have established a matching service to help apprentices at risk of redundancy to find alternative employment and to complete their apprenticeship. More generally, providers and the LSC have procedures to advise and relocate apprentices, in cases where providers or employers fail, to help ensure that they are able to continue in work and complete their apprenticeship. The 140 million package announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister for an additional 35,000 apprenticeship places will help fund new provision in both the public sector and private sector, and will extend the opportunities available to people facing redundancy.

Departmental Older Workers

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department will reach the age of 65 years by the year 2011.

Diana Johnson: In the Department, 29 of existing employees will be 65 or older by 2011.

Further Education: Standards

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps have been taken to ensure consistent  (a) assessment,  (b) recording and  (c) quality assurance of educational standards in the 14-19 diplomas.

Iain Wright: Diplomas come under the responsibility of the independent regulator of qualifications and examinations, Ofqual. Ofqual has responsibility to protect the interests of learners by ensuring that results are fair and accurate and that assessment and standards are appropriately established and comparable across awarding bodies.
	I have asked the Chief Regulator to write to my hon. Friend to set out the steps taken in relation to Diploma assessment, recording and quality assurance.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which sections of his Department have requested money saved from efficiency savings to be used for increased pay in their 2009 pay offer to staff.

Ann McKechin: All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice who each have separate pay awards in place for their employees. The Office only reimburses those Departments for the costs involved.

Hebrides Range

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the relocation of operations away from the Hebrides Range.

Jim Murphy: I discuss a variety of issues with Ministry of Defence ministerial colleagues including the Secretary of State. I also hosted a meeting of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) and the Western Isles Council established task group today at Dover House.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Business: Government Assistance

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many small businesses in  (a) Tamworth constituency and  (b) the West Midlands claimed relief under the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Tamworth borough council reported that the number of businesses receiving small business rate relief was 422 at 31 December 2006, the latest date for which data are available. At the same date, the number of businesses in the West Midlands receiving small business rate relief was 40,138. Data are not available at constituency level.

Council of Regional Ministers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Council of Regional Ministers last met.

Rosie Winterton: The Council of Regional Ministers, which meets every six weeks or so, last met on 16 June 2009.

Council Tax: Appeals

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many council tax appeals the Valuation Tribunal Service has considered in each of the last five years; and how many resulted in a change to a lower band for the dwelling in question.

Rosie Winterton: The Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) has held information centrally on the number of successful appeals since the beginning of 2006-07 in England.
	
		
			   Number of council tax appeals received  Number of council tax appeals considered by tribunals  Number of council tax appeals allowed or allowed in part  Number of decisions resulting in a lower band 
			 2004-05 24,422 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2005-06 21,805 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2006-07 27,130 5,274 646 n/a 
			 2007-08 34,340 8,666 1,056 n/a 
			 2008-09 6,950 5,624 887 722 
			 n/a = Not available 
		
	
	Appeals to the VTS can be made about matters other than a property's banding. The VTS has held information centrally on whether appeals resulted in a change of banding only since 2008-09.
	Council tax policy in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Councillors

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for implementation of each proposal contained in his Department's response to the Councillors Commission.

Rosie Winterton: The Councillors Commission Report 'Representing the Future' published in December 2007 made a number of recommendations aimed at central Government and a range of other partners and stakeholders. We published a response to 'Representing the Future' in July 2008 which set out who was taking forward which recommendations and how.
	The Local Government Association, Improvement and Development Agency and the Leadership Centre for local government are taking forward the following actions, which were aimed at local authorities:
	Raising awareness of councils and councillors and what they do
	Support for councillors' role as a link between the local authority and the community
	Role descriptions for councillors
	Engagement with young people
	Training and support for councillors and potential councillors
	Promoting the councillor role to employers
	Recognising and accrediting service
	Exit interviews for councillors
	Better allowance information.
	Other recommendations were aimed specifically at political parties, the BBC and Ofcom, and employers and we trust that they are taking forward their commitments in response to these.
	The Government are taking forward the following actions.
	
		
			  Recommendation  Action 
			 Recommendation 1Introduce a statutory duty to promote democracy This is being taken forward in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill (Clauses 1-9) which recently completed Committee stage in the House of Commons. We intend for the duty to be implemented in April 2010. 
			 Recommendations 6 and 7Work with Third Sector on Councillor Communications The Empowerment Fund is funding third sector organisations Urban Forum and Bassac over three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12 to carry out work under the theme of improving communications between councillors and citizens. 
			 Recommendation 11Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Women Councillors Taskforce This was launched in May 2008. 13 outreach events have been held across the country to date reaching over 800 women. In April 2009, the first national councillor mentoring/shadowing scheme was launched as part of the Taskforce project. This scheme is for 50 women with an additional 50 places on an e-training learning programme to obtain a community leadership qualification. 
			 Recommendations 12, 30 and 46Revise the publicity code and associated guidance Consultation on this finished in mid March. Consultation included a question on whether specific guidance on councillors' support needs to be clarified. Government are currently looking at the consultation findings and will decide what, if any, revisions are to be made and the timetable for any revisions. 
			 Recommendations 13, 14New Secondary curriculum and revision of Primary curriculum; Young Mayors and Young Advisors QCA are currently running a consultation on proposed reforms to the primary curriculum including citizenship - the consultation closes on 24 July 2009. From January 2010, schools will be assisted with implementation by a comprehensive support package to aid them in planning for the new curriculum. The new curriculum began rolling out in secondary schools from September 2008, beginning with Key Stage 3. Changes to the Key Stage 4 curriculum begin rolling out in September 2009 in line with changes to GCSEs. Young Mayors: CLG will be inviting applications in July from local authorities who would like to host a Young Mayor scheme. Details of successful applicants will be announced in late August. Young Advisors: CLG has supported the Young Advisors Charity to extend the Young Advisors scheme to more local areas. There are now 41 schemes operating across the country at a local level with around 400 trained Young Advisors. 
			 Recommendation 23Revising politically restricted posts Amendments to the Widdicombe rules removing the salary bar have been taken forward in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, which is currently being considered by Parliament. 
			 Recommendation 29Work with audit commission on CAAs to consider how council leadership reflects the community The CAA guidance for inspectorate staff makes specific reference in its section on empowerment to the Network of Empowering Authorities framework, which provides a benchmark for an 'ideal' authority. The framework includes 'strong democracy' as a key success factor setting out that an ideal authority would be where 'community involvement encourages more people to take on governance roles and stand for office. Members and officers proactively promote democracy, raising understanding and awareness among citizens and young people'. The accompanying diagnostic questions include: 'Does the profile of your Members reflect that of your local population?' 
			 Recommendation 51Accreditation In addition to work being developed by the local government sector, we are taking forward a review of accreditation as part of the Take Part programme of work. A review was completed in February 2009 and proposals for taking forward an accreditation programme are being currently being considered. 
			 Recommendation 52--Alderwomen During the passage of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill (LDEDC Bill) an Opposition amendment was laid in the House of Lords regarding the use of the title alderwomen and this is now included in the Bill. 
			 Recommendation 56Parish and Town Councillors The Department is funding NALC to conduct an annual survey of the profiles of parish councillors, including analysis and dissemination. Councils that have achieved Quality Status (over 650) will be surveyed in 2009-10 and all parish councils (over 9,000) in 2010-11. 
		
	
	Provisions for loss of office payments, remote attendance at council meetings and remote voting, and voting incentives were originally to be included in a draft Community Empowerment Bill. Given the stage of the parliamentary cycle, we have decided to concentrate our energy on the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, which contains the major proposals from the Councillors Commission, and not to publish a draft Empowerment Bill. We therefore have no current plans for legislation to implement these proposals.

Disabled Facilities Grants

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to monitor the delivery by local authorities of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) scheme in relation to  (a) levels of local authority contributions to DFG,  (b) the prioritisation of applications from individuals in urgent need of adaptations to their homes and  (c) levels of compliance with target times for delivery under the scheme; and if he will take steps to ensure that uprating of DFG funding allocations by his Department is implemented by local authorities administering the scheme.

Ian Austin: The Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 sets the legislative framework for the Disabled Facilities Grant programme and it is for the local housing authority to assess the need of a disabled person for housing adaptations in the light of the mandatory entitlements. Local authorities are responsible for the local management and administration of the programme and have increased discretion to make local decisions.
	It is a condition of payment of every grant that the eligible works are carried out within 12 months from the date of approval of the application concerned. If local authorities act incorrectly a complaint can be made to the local government ombudsman after the correct complaint procedures have been made to the council.
	Local authorities are required to complete an annual claim and monitoring form to the Department and maintain financial records which are subject to auditing requirements. This includes information on the level of contribution claimed from central Government and levels of expenditure.

Empty Property

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty properties there are in each region.

Ian Austin: The total number of empty dwellings reported by local authorities in England, by region, as at 6 October 2008, are shown as follows.
	
		
			  Region  Number of empty dwellings 
			 North East 50,623 
			 North West 137,849 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 102,241 
			 East Midlands 76,956 
			 West Midlands 79,848 
			 East of England 75,198 
			 London 85,924 
			 South East 105,111 
			 South West 70,272 
			 Total England 784,022 
		
	
	Information about the number of empty non-domestic properties is currently being collected and will be published later in the year.

Homelessness

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many private dwellings were being leased by  (a) registered social landlords and  (b) local authorities for the purpose of housing homeless households in the latest quarter for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level.
	Data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes so.
	The number of households housed in temporary accommodation by local authorities as at the last day of each quarter, is also collected. This figure consists of those households which have been accepted as owed the main homelessness duty; those for which inquiries are pending; those being accommodated for a limited period because they have been found intentionally homeless and in priority need; those being accommodated pending possible referral to another authority; and those being accommodated pending the outcome of a local authority review or county court appeal.
	The latest figures for the number of households housed in temporary accommodation leased from the private sector by  (a) registered social landlords and  (b) local authorities are shown as follows:
	
		
			  Number of households in temporary accommodation arranged under homelessness legislation, leased from the private sector by registered social landlords (RSLs) and local authorities (LAs), as at 31 March 2009 
			  Type of temporary accommodation  Number of households 
			 Private sector leased by RSL 11,700 
			 Private sector leased by LA 25,750 
			  Source: CLG P1E returns (quarterly)

Housing Revenue Accounts

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the net subsidy paid to each local authority from the Housing Revenue Account was in each of the last three years.

Ian Austin: The information requested has been deposited in the Library.

Housing: Construction

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what eligibility criteria apply to  (a) developers and  (b) social landlords in respect of assistance under the Kickstart housing delivery scheme.

John Healey: Full details on the eligibility criteria for the Kickstart housing delivery scheme is included in the guidance notes for the scheme and published on the HCA website at:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/kickstart_housing

Housing: Construction

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes were built in  (a) North West Cambridgeshire constituency,  (b) Huntingdonshire and  (c) Peterborough in each of the last eight quarters.

Ian Austin: Information on house building completions is not available by constituency.
	The following table shows the number of new homes built in Peterborough and Huntingdonshire in each of the last eight quarters.
	
		
			   2007  2008  2009 
			  Local authority  April to June  July to September  October to December  January to March  April to June  July to Sept ember  October to December  January to March 
			 Huntingdonshire District Council 141 123 186 83 195 156 151 139 
			 Peterborough City Council UA 324 184 207 214 230 168 154 126 
			  Source:  New build completions from P2 quarterly returns submitted by local authorities and the National House-Building Council to CLG.

Housing: Crosby

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes classified as energy-efficient have been built in Crosby constituency in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: All new homes built in England in the last five years have been required to meet the energy efficiency standards set out in Part L of the Building Regulations. The Part L standard for new homes was raised by 25 per cent. in 2002 and by a further 20 per cent. in 2006. This requirement will progressively increase leading up to the target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016. The following table shows the total number of new build dwellings in the north-west region for each year from 2004-05 onwards.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 17,910 
			 2005-06 20,620 
			 2006-07 18,070 
			 2007-08 20,310 
			 2008-09 13,700 
		
	
	The Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) provides an energy rating for new dwellings by demonstrating compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations. In general, homes built to current Part L correspond with SAP ratings of B or C. Some homes are built to exceed minimum regulatory standards, for example as a result of building to the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Housing: Energy

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes classified as energy-efficient have been built in Barnsley, East and Mexborough constituency in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: All new homes built in England in the last five years have been required to meet the energy efficiency standards set out in Part L of the Building Regulations. The Part L standard for new homes was raised by 25 per cent. in 2002 and by a further 20 per cent. in 2006. This requirement will progressively increase leading up to the target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016. The following table shows the total number of new build dwellings in the Yorkshire and Humberside region for each year from 2004-2005 onwards.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 14,190 
			 2005-06 16,040 
			 2006-07 16,250 
			 2007-08 15,670 
			 2008-09 11,250 
		
	
	The Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) provides an energy rating for new dwellings by demonstrating compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations. In general, homes built to current Part L correspond with SAP ratings of B or C. Some homes are built to exceed minimum regulatory standards, for example as a result of building to the Code for Sustainable Homes.
	SAP is used to generate Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for new build dwellings. From 6 April 2008, it became mandatory to lodge all SAP EPCs for new build dwellings on the England and Wales Domestic EPC Register. In the constituency of Barnsley, East and Mexborough 177 SAP EPC lodgements were made in 2008 and 47 SAP EPC lodgements have been made in 2009 up to and including 25 June.

Housing: Low Incomes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria apply in respect of the release of funds by HomeBuy Zone Agents under the HomeBuy Direct scheme.

John Healey: The Homes and Communities Agency are responsible for releasing funds for the HomeBuy Direct scheme. HomeBuy agents are responsible for assessing an applicant's eligibility for the HomeBuy Direct scheme, these are the same as for all HomeBuy products.

Housing: Low Incomes

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties have been sold under the HomeBuy Direct Scheme in  (a) Tamworth and  (b) Staffordshire.

John Healey: To date no properties have been sold under HomeBuy Direct in Tamworth and Staffordshire. Units in both areas are likely to become available to purchasers later this year.

Housing: Prices

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  in which local authorities in England the average house price is above 225,000;
	(2)  whether his Department plans to increase the valuation cap under the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.

John Healey: The property price cap for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme is not set at one national value; the cap varies regionally to reflect the differing level of property prices. These regional property price caps for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme have been set with reference to Q4 2008 lower quartile property prices, reflecting the aim of the scheme to provide targeted support for vulnerable households at risk of homelessness. The level of the caps was increased on 1 May and is now at least 150 per cent. of lower quartile property prices in each region which are comparable to average house prices in all English regions. We have no plans to increase the caps further. Housing Associations already have flexibility to exceed the cap if appropriate depending on households' individual circumstances.
	In the current economic conditions, we have acted rapidly to put in place help and support for households struggling with their mortgage at every stage: from free debt advice when problems start, to free support for cases that reach court. Advice is available to all households struggling with their mortgage, with targeted schemes for those in most need.
	Data on average house prices at a local authority level are published quarterly by CLG and can be viewed online at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table-581.xls

Invest to Save Budget

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many Invest to Save bids his Department sponsored in each of the last five years; what the total monetary value of such bids was; and what proportion of such bids were related to housing projects;
	(2)  how much  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's non-departmental public bodies received from Invest to Save budgets in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has received no funding for non-departmental public bodies from the Invest to budgets during the last five years.
	The number of Invest to Save Projects supported by my department over the last five years and funding received are as follows:
	
		
			  ISB Round  Number of project s  supported  Project total (000) 
			 Round 5 (2003-04) 9 4,418 
			 Round 6 (2004-05) 3 2,003 
			 Round 7 (2005-06) 8 11,923 
			 Round 8 (2006-07) 5 4,074 
			 Round 9 (2007-08)(1) 0 0 
			 Total 25 22,418 
			 (1) There was no new CLG sponsored ISB projects in 2007-2008.  Note: Two housing related ISB projects were supported by my Department.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications for Homeowners Mortgage Support have been granted to residents of  (a) Tamworth and  (b) Staffordshire.

John Healey: The aim of Homeowners Mortgage Support is to prevent repossessions, where households suffer a temporary income shock. After taking money advice, homeowners apply to their lenders to join the scheme, which allows them to defer up to 70 per cent. of the interest due. The Government have published an impact assessment, which estimates how many borrowers, at UK level, could be eligible. Official figures on the number of households entering the scheme will be published later this year.
	In the current economic conditions, we have acted rapidly to put in place help and support for households struggling with their mortgage at every stage: from free debt advice when problems start, to free support for cases that reach court. Advice is available to all households struggling with their mortgage, with targeted schemes for those in most need.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to assist households ineligible for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme to avoid repossession.

John Healey: In the current economic conditions, we have acted rapidly to put in place help and support for households struggling with their mortgage at every stage: from free debt advice when problems start, to free support for cases that reach court.
	The Mortgage Rescue Scheme is a targeted scheme aimed at helping the most vulnerable homeowners to avoid homelessness. Further targeted help is available through Support for Mortgage Interest or Homeowners Mortgage Support. Local authorities provide advice and information on the range of help available, and this information is also available from the DirectGov website.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications for Homeowners Mortgage Support have been granted to residents of  (a) Merseyside and  (b) Crosby constituency.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Mr. Jenkins) today (PQ 282432).

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Office Agency made a separate assessment for business rates for each port operator working in the hereditament of a statutory port in 2005.

Rosie Winterton: An entry in the 2005 rating lists was made for each of the statutory port operators where they were in occupation of a hereditament within a designated port. In some cases there is more than one rating list entry where the statutory port operator occupied more than one separately rateable hereditament.
	Where any part of a port is occupied by another business operator, who is not the statutory designated port operator, their hereditament within the port falls to be separately rated. For the 2005 rating list about 1,600 separate hereditaments were rated within ports in England.
	The recent rating review of ports found that around 600 hereditaments in England should be separately assessed as these hereditaments were not occupied by the designated port operator as at 1 April 2005.

Social Rented Housing: Energy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the eligibility criteria for social housing providers are in respect of the Social Housing Energy Saving Programme scheme.

John Healey: The eligibility criteria for the Social Housing Energy Saving Programme housing delivery scheme is included in the guidance notes for the scheme and published on the HCA website at:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/energy-saving-programme

Supporting People Programme

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding was allocated by  (a) his Department and  (b) local authorities in Supporting People grants in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: Communities and Local Government is responsible for the Supporting People programme and makes all programme and administrative grant payments to local authorities, in respect of this. Information on the amount of Supporting People grant allocated to 152 top tier local authorities for the last five years can be found on the Supporting People website at:
	www.spkweb.org.uk/subject/finance
	A summary of the Supporting People grant allocated to local authorities in the last five years is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Supporting People grant allocation 
			   Programme grant allocation ( billion)  Admin grant allocation ( million) 
			 2005-06 1.715 40 
			 2006-07 1.685 40 
			 2007-08 1.696 40 
			 2008-09 1.686 38 
			 2009-10 1.666 35 
		
	
	The Supporting People programme is administered by local authorities and it is up to them to decide how the funding is allocated based on their local needs and priorities identified in their five year Supporting People strategies. Further information is available at:
	http://www.spkweb.org.uk/Subjects/Statistics/
	and
	http://www.spclientrecord.org.uk/pubs.cfm

Temporary Accommodation: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households were in temporary accommodation in  (a) Merseyside and  (b) Crosby constituency in each of the last five years; and what the average time spent in such accommodation was.

Ian Austin: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected at local authority level. Merseyside comprises Knowsley, St. Helens and Wirral Metropolitan borough councils, Liverpool city council and Sefton council. The constituency of Crosby falls within Sefton.
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 June 2009,  Official Report, column 843W, given to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink).

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Child Care

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people  (a) enrolled on and  (b) completed an apprenticeship in the childcare sector in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The following table shows the number of apprenticeship starts and completions in each compete academic year since 2005, in the apprenticeship framework 'Children's Care, Learning and Development'.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship starts and completions in child care 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Starts 12,300 13,200 15,300 
			 Completions 6,200 7,200 7,600 
			  Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.  Source: WBLILR

Banks: Finance

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage banks to participate in the Export Credit Guarantees Department guaranteed finance packages.

Ian Lucas: Since the start of 2009, the Government have introduced a number of initiatives which will provide real help to exporters, as well as other businesses, during the current economic downturn. These have included the Working Capital Scheme, and ECGD is currently consulting with banks as well as exporters on proposals for a Letter of Credit Guarantee Scheme. The Government are considering other measures to provide real help to UK exporters, including a possible export trade credit insurance scheme along the lines of that announced for domestic business in the Budget which will address the cash flow, credit and investment needs of businesses. The Government have and will continue to involve the banks in its initiatives.

Broadband

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of provision of universal broadband access at 2Mbps on the global competitiveness of businesses in rural areas.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 25 June 2009
	Faster and more reliable broadband can help rural businesses to develop and adopt more productive, efficient and innovative ways of working enabling them to compete more effectively in the global economy. It can also enable rural businesses to gain access to new markets which may not have been previously possible due to the existence of high barriers to entry and exploit the new business opportunities created by the rapid growth in e-commerce which can extend beyond the UK's geographical borders.
	An initial impact assessment on Universal Service Commitment was published as part of the Digital Britain, but deliberately did not contain any quantitative information on the expected costs and benefits of the Government's proposals for a Universal Service Commitment for broadband of 2 Mbps, as this may distort the procurement process. A full impact assessment will be carried out after the competitive procurement process has taken place.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people in rural areas receive the same access to high speed broadband as their urban counterparts.

Patrick McFadden: The Digital Britain final report was published on 16 June and contained more detailed information on Government's commitment to providing universal broadband access to virtually UK homes and businesses at a speed of 2Mbps by 2012. In addition to this, a 50p per month levy will be imposed on all fixed telephone lines to create a Next Generation Fund to ensure Next Generation Broadband reaches the final third of homes that the market will not otherwise deliver to.

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies paid in interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Patrick McFadden: The Department does not hold information regarding payments made to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1988 by the Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPB). Each NDPB is required to publish such payments in their independent annual accounts.

Departmental Buildings

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which buildings the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills took a lease on; and how long each such lease was for.

Patrick McFadden: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills did not take any leases on buildings that it occupied. Responsibility for buildings in which DIUS staff were located rested with either Department for Children, Schools and Families or the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, with the exception of Polaris House in Swindon which is owned by the research councils.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many breaches of information security there have been at  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies in the last five years.

Patrick McFadden: In the last five years there have been 14 breaches of information security recorded in my Department.
	The Department and its agencies report all significant data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and ICO. Information on data security breaches are published on an annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the resource accounts.
	The Department takes its data security responsibilities very seriously. We have strict security policies in place, and ensure staff have sufficient information and are trained to meet their responsibilities.
	BIS Agency chief executives will be responding separately.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Patrick McFadden: The Department's Permanent Secretary, Simon Fraser, is the responsible official.

Departmental Food Supplies

Tim Farron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what percentage of the  (a) meat,  (b) fruit and  (c) vegetables procured by his Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK.

Patrick McFadden: A second report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS Supply Chain and HM Prison Service was published in November 2008, covering the year from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. This report and the first one covering the previous year can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/awareness.htm
	The report gives details of the proportion of individual meat, fruit and vegetable categories purchased.
	Although it is too early to show a trend, the report indicates that the amount of domestically produced food consumed by Government Departments in England is increasing. The proportion of domestically produced food procured by BIS's predecessor's contracted service partner was 87.5 per cent. in 2006-07 and 87 per cent. in 2007-08. A third report is expected to be published at the end of 2009.

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 2288-89W, on the departmental internet, how many  (a) unique visitors and  (b) page impressions were received by each website in each of the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: In the period March 2008-February 2009 unique visitors and page impressions for the core BERR website:
	
		
			   Unique visitors  Page impressions 
			 March 2008 511,536 2,385,231 
			 April 2008 512,422 2,443,138 
			 May 2008 532,300 2,480,333 
			 June 2008 563,267 2,694,709 
			 July 2008 587,369 2,840,968 
			 August 2008 516,080 2,372,979 
			 September 2008 641,686 2,932,840 
			 October 2008 753,954 3,648,423 
			 November 2008 676,204 3,452,227 
			 December 2008 546,116 2,584,510 
			 January 2009 796,574 3,770,379 
			 February 2009 690,263 3,238,879 
		
	
	Other websites operated by the Department are not centrally managed. Information on visitor numbers and page impressions for these sites is not centrally held and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which  (a) sections of his Department and  (b) non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have requested money saved from efficiency savings to be used for increased pay in their 2009 pay offers to staff.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 26 June 2009
	The HMT Civil Service Pay Guidance 2009-10 provided the flexibility for organisations covered by this guidance to seek agreement to using efficiency savings to fund workforce reform as part of their pay remit in 2009. The deadline for making such requests was 30 May 2009. The former Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the former Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) have not requested agreement to using efficiency savings to fund their pay remits in 2009. None of the Agencies or NDPBs sponsored by either the former BERR or DIUS has requested agreement to use efficiency savings to fund their pay remits in 2009.

Digital Broadcasting

Dai Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effects on levels of  (a) energy demand and  (b) sustainable use of materials of the proposals contained in the Digital Britain White Paper; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects on levels of UK carbon dioxide emissions of implementation of the proposals contained in that report.

Patrick McFadden: Environmental impact issues are included in the Digital Britain impact assessments which were published with the final Report on 16 June and can be seen on:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/digitalbritain_impactassessment.pdf
	New communications technologies have the potential to reduce energy demand and impact positively on UK carbon dioxide emissions. For example, next generation broadband services such as two-way video conferencing may lead to lower road congestion and pollution because they encourage greater use of tele-working which reduces the need to travel. This is because more people find it convenient to work from home or use tele-conferencing instead of physical meetings with their suppliers and customers. Evidence from Australia reveals that in 2006, over a third of SMEs introduced tele-working and that broadband was an influential factor in the decision.
	Other potential benefits include a reduction in power consumption through a more efficient computing (e.g. cloud computing), enlarging the scope to do business online and providing options for monitoring the efficient use of transport fleets and home energy, among other things.
	The Digital Britain action plan will support this by facilitating the rollout of new networks including shared networks and networks which use existing infrastructure. Laying down the necessary fibre network may increase carbon emissions and an increasing use of applications which require higher bandwidth (e.g. video conferencing) may lead to increased power consumption. The Government are seeking to minimise the energy demands and waste created by new technology and infrastructure by building in a sustainability element to the Digital Inclusion Champion's role, and by including sustainability factors in public ICT procurement strategies. We have also pledged to work closely with manufacturers to examine the environmental impact of the digital radio upgrade.

Digital Broadcasting: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding he plans to allocate to Wales in the next five years in fulfilment of the universal service commitment outlined in the Digital Britain White Paper.

Patrick McFadden: The Government have allocated 200 million of direct public funding to delivering the broadband universal service commitment. We expect to be able to leverage as much again from private and public sector partners though a well constructed procurement process.
	No decisions have yet been taken about spend in specific parts of the UK. The Digital Britain report sets out the priorities for allocation of the funds for meeting the Universal Service Commitment. The Universal Service Commitment core priorities are:
	 1. Coverage
	Broadband coverage of at least 2 Mbps to virtually every household in the UK (in addition, mobile will have a role to play in providing broadband coverage at different speeds).
	 2. Provision
	Those currently unable to receive a service will be given priority.
	 3. Technology
	We should remain technology-neutral and look for the most cost effective means of delivering availability, while maximising wider network benefits (such as using next generation-compatible solutions where possible).
	 4. Competition
	Service competition should, as far as possible, be available across the country.
	The procurement design by the Network Design and Procurement Group will determine how these priorities are addressed in practice. We will ensure that the devolved administrations are able to advise the group about need in their nations.

Domestic Appliances: Safety

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what reports he has received of the recommendations in relation to the sale of blinds with looped cords made in the determination made by Sheriff Mackie on 29 May 2009 in respect of the fatal accident inquiry into the death of Muireann McLaughlin; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 22 June 2009
	My Department has received both the Sheriffs determination and a summary of the fatal accident inquiry. Officials are carefully considering the recommendations made and how best to deal with them. I have no plans to make a statement.

English Language: Education

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the English language training sector; and what steps his Department is taking to assist that sector.

Kevin Brennan: The Department funds provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and this is delivered through FE colleges, training providers and the voluntary sector.
	The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) published a thematic review of ESOL in October 2008. The report stated that ESOL provision in colleges is satisfactory and that ACL providers had improved significantly. The report is available at:
	www.ofsted.gov.uk
	The UK Border Agency (UKBA) maintains a register of colleges offering English language training in relation to their points based system. All private education providers need to be accredited by an Agency-approved accreditation body. Ofsted help to determine which accreditation bodies provide an appropriate test of the bona fides of an educational institution and the list of UKBA-approved accreditation bodies is available on the UKBA website at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponsoringmigrants/eligibility/tierstudents

Evening Standard: Sales

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on what dates since 1 January 2007  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department and its predecessors have had discussions with (i) Lord Rothermere, (ii) Matthew Freud and (iii) Freud Communications, with particular reference to ownership of the London  Evening Standard.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 25 June 2009
	Neither Ministers nor officials have had discussions with Lord Rothermere, Matthew Freud and Freud Communications in reference to the ownership of the  Evening Standard

Evening Standard: Sales

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what written and oral contacts  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department and its predecessors had with (i) Lord Rothermere, (ii) Matthew Freud and (iii) Freud Communications in connection with the sale of the London Evening Standard to Alexander Lebedev before the decision was taken on whether to issue an intervention notice under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 25 June 2009
	There have been no written or oral contacts by Ministers or officials with Lord Rothermere, Matthew Freud or Freud Communications regarding the sale of the  Evening Standard

Exports: Israel

Andrew Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many end-user certificates for exports of arms to Israel have been issued in the last three years.

Ian Lucas: End-user certificates are submitted by the exporter as supporting documentation when applying for export licences, and are supplied by the end-user of the goods. The Government publish, in their Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls, detailed information on export licences issued, refused and revoked, by destination, including a summary of the items covered by these licences.
	The Government's Annual Reports, published since 1997, and Quarterly Reports, published since 2004, are available from the Libraries of the House and on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/publications/annual-reports/export-controls1
	As part of the Government's commitment to transparency and accountability the Export Control Organisation has also recently launched an online searchable database of export control licensing statistics in order to improve the usability of the data published. The database can be accessed at:
	https://www.exportcontroldb.berr.gov.uk/eng/fox/sdb/SDBHOME
	The latest date for which information is available is 31 December 2008. The officials will shortly be publishing the data for the quarter ending 31 March 2009.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many full-time, UK-domiciled undergraduate students there are in each of the teaching and learning price bands used by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

David Lammy: In 2007-08 the estimated number of UK domiciled full-time undergraduate students, including both those fundable and non-fundable by HEFCE in each of their price bands are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Group A 22,264 
			 Group B 150,525 
			 Group C 408,805 
			 Group D 271,538 
		
	
	In addition there are 22,128 students meeting the criteria of the question in Initial Teacher Training which is not assigned to a price group. Figures are for England only.

Insolvency: Advisory Services

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the provision of paid advice on insolvency by persons who have not been recognised as insolvency practitioners by the Insolvency Service.

Ian Lucas: All those offering consumer credit or debt advice must secure a Consumer Credit Licence from the Office of Fair Trading. This will allow them to offer advice on all matters of debt, including whether insolvency is the best solution.
	If an individual voluntary arrangement is suggested an authorised insolvency practitioner will act in relation to the arrangement. There are seven recognised professional bodies, as well as my noble Friend the Secretary of State, which authorise insolvency practitioners. Insolvency practitioners are required to provide details of their authorising body on their letter headed paper. If bankruptcy proceedings are recommended the Official Receiver will, in the first instance, deal with the case. Only the authorising bodies can deal with complaints against insolvency practitioners.

Loans: Interest Rates

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will consider the merits of introducing a maximum interest rate chargeable in respect of unsecured personal loans.

Kevin Brennan: The Government will be giving broad consideration to the issue of unsecured credit in the Consumer White Paper, which is to be published in early July. It would be inappropriate to pre-empt any announcements to be made in that White Paper.

Manufacturing Industries: Devon

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Government is taking to support the manufacturing sector in South Devon.

Ian Lucas: The Government continue to help industry in south Devon, and in other parts of the south-west. We are supporting manufacturing with programmes such as the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS). In 2008-09, MAS South West helped 1,410 SME manufacturing companies. Across the region these interventions have generated cost savings and increased business worth over 19 million; 4.6 million of which is in Devon. Also, over the last 12 months (July 2008 to June 2009), Business Link SW has provided advice and support to over 600 manufacturing businesses in the South Devon area.
	The south-west regional development agency continues to deliver specific support to the industry in the south-west through its regional cluster and sector bodies, as well as through Business Link.
	Commitments in the 2008 manufacturing strategy and more recent action to address cash flow, credit and investment needs are helping small and medium-sized businesses in the current downturn.

Minimum Wage

Jamie Reed: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of businesses in  (a) each district in Cumbria and  (b) the UK using tips as a means of ensuring their employees receive the national minimum wage; what estimate his Department has made of (i) the number of employees involved and (ii) the monetary value of such tips in the last 12 months; what steps his Department plans to take on the matter; and what assessment has been made of the effects of the practice on expenditure on benefits.

Patrick McFadden: It is not possible to provide an estimate of the number of businesses in  (a) each Cumbrian district, and  (b) in the UK, using tips as a means of ensuring their employees receive the national minimum wage as these data are not collected.
	Using the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings we have estimated that (i) the number of employees who could be receiving tips to make up wages to the national minimum wage is around 60,000 and (ii) the monetary value of such tips to be 82 million per year.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for benefit payments. DWP has not made an assessment of the effects of the practice on expenditure on benefits as to do so could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	From 1 October 2009 we will be amending National Minimum Wage regulations so that tips can no longer be used to pay national minimum wage.

National Skills Academies

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to facilitate the establishment of the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The Creative and Cultural Skills National Skills Academy was established in April 2008 to tackle technical skills shortages in the Creative Industries. Since its inception, this Government have invested 4.2 million in the establishment of this Academy.
	I am aware that the Academy has also submitted a capital proposal to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Government remain committed to providing capital support to National Skills Academies through the LSC's Specialisation Fund which is separate to the more general FE Capital fund. We will make an announcement soon.

National Skills Academies

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reasons the provision of funding for the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills in Thurrock has been delayed; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 29 June 2009
	In December 2008, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) undertook a detailed review of its capital programmes, and reported in March this year that there were more projects than funding available. While the LSC undertook this review, it was necessary to put all capital project applications on hold.
	An announcement was made on the 26 June about the future capital arrangements for the FE college sector. Government remain committed to providing capital support to NSAs through the LSC's Specialisation Fund which is separate to the more general FE Capital Fund. We will make an announcement soon.

National Vocational Qualifications: Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what percentage of per candidate funding National Vocational Qualification training providers received in advance in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are delivered through a range of training providers funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). This includes further education colleges and independent training providers.
	The main route for delivering stand alone NVQ qualifications in the work place is through Train to Gain which was fully rolled out in 2006/07 academic year. From 2008/09 academic year, 75 per cent. of the cost of a Train to Gain course is paid monthly in arrears spread over the expected length of the programme, with 25 per cent. withheld and paid on achievement.
	This approach is also used where an NVQ is delivered as part of an apprenticeship, with the exception that the 25 per cent. achievement payment for the NVQ is only paid on achievement of the whole apprenticeship framework rather than just the NVQ element.

Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the monetary value of trade between the UK and Saudi Arabia in the last five years.

Ian Lucas: The data requested are shown in the following table:
	
		
			million 
			   UK exports of goods to Saudi Arabia  UK exports of services to Saudi Arabia  UK imports of goods from Saudi Arabia  UK imports of services from Saudi Arabia 
			 2004 1,611 2,246 1,158 688 
			 2005 1,559 2,219 1,714 570 
			 2006 1,644 2,701 1,232 670 
			 2007 1,857 3,020 821 693 
			 2008 2,189  672  
			  Sources: ONS monthly review of external trade statistics and UK Balance of Payments Pink Book 
		
	
	Geographical estimates of trade in services in 2008 are expected to be available at the end of July.

Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the monetary value of trade between the UK and Lebanon in the last five years.

Ian Lucas: Data on recorded trade in goods with Lebanon are shown in the following table:
	
		
			million 
			   UK exports of goods to Lebanon  UK imports of goods from Lebanon 
			 2004 210 17 
			 2005 212 20 
			 2006 208 20 
			 2007 224 42 
			 2008 304 47 
			  Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics 
		
	
	Estimates of trade in services are not available for the full five years. ONS data published in the UK Balance of Payments Pink Book 2008 were:
	
		
			million 
			   UK exports of services to Lebanon  UK imports of services from Lebanon 
			 2006 57 19 
			 2007 54 21

Phorm

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with Phorm on the use of its targeted online advertising technology.

Patrick McFadden: I have not had any such discussions. My noble Friend, the Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting, met Kent Ertugrul, the chief Executive Officer of Phorm Inc. on 18 November 2008. This was an introductory meeting.

Prisoners

George Galloway: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of those released from prison who  (a) achieved and  (b) did not achieve a degree whilst in prison re-offended within two years of their release in each year from 2000 to 2006.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The information requested is not collected centrally by this Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Royal Mail: Rural Areas

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the level of service provided by Royal Mail to customers in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: Postcomm, the industry regulator, monitors Royal Mail's quality of service performance in all postcode areas on a quarterly basis. Postcomm also commissions an annual survey of residential and SME customers, which involves asking questions of customers in rural and deep rural areas about their use of mail services and how satisfied they are as senders and recipients of mail.
	In the latest 2008 survey, all respondents were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with Royal Mail on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 representing extremely satisfied and 1 extremely dissatisfied).
	The total sample gave Royal Mail a mean score of 8.02. A breakdown of the sample showed that deep rural customers gave Royal Mail a higher mean score of 8.47. More information can be found on Postcomm's website:
	http://www.psc.gov.uk/about-the-mail-market/customer-needs-survey.html

Students: Radicalism

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in his Department work  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time on matters related to preventing violent extremism in universities.

David Lammy: There is one official in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills who works full-time on matters relating to preventing violent extremism in universities, two who work part-time, and other officials who provide advice and guidance on specific areas of the higher education sector.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments: Alcoholic Drinks

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) people  (b) under 18-year-olds,  (c) under 16-year-olds and  (d) under 12-year-olds (i) attended and (ii) were admitted via accident and emergency departments for excessive consumption of alcohol in each year since 1997-98.

Gillian Merron: The information for alcohol-related attendances at accident and emergency departments is not collected centrally. However, information on alcohol-related hospital admissions is collected centrally. The following table shows numbers of admissions rather than individuals.
	Information on alcohol-related hospital admissions is only available for the years 2002-03 to 2007-08 and we have provided figures for all alcohol-related hospital admissions for those aged 16 and over.
	
		
			  Number of finished alcohol-related admissions of patients via accident and emergency (AE) 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Total number of admissions via AE 251,303 289,229 337,549 388,880 420,263 448,813 
			 Under 12-years-old 281 282 243 226 213 181 
			 12 to 15-years-old 3,968 4,521 4,524 4,864 4,753 4,441 
			 16 to 17-years-old 4,679 5,300 6,077 7,247 7,474 7,766 
			  Notes:  1. Includes activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector.  2. Alcohol-related admissions  The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory. Figures for under 16s only include admissions where one or more of the following alcohol-specific conditions were listed:  Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (I42.6)  Alcoholic gastritis (K29.2)  Alcoholic liver disease (K70)  Alcoholic myopathy (G72.1)  Alcoholic polyneuropathy (G62.1)  Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's syndrome (E24.4)  Chronic pancreatitis (alcohol induced) (K86.0)  Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol (G31.2)  Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol (F10)  Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45)  Ethanol poisoning (T51.0)  Methanol poisoning (T51.1)  Toxic effect of alcohol, unspecified (T51.9)  3. Number of episodes in which the patient had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis  These figures represent the number of episodes where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record.  4. Ungrossed data  Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  5. Finished admission episodes  A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  6. Data quality  HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  7. Assessing growth through time  HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity.  Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  8. Assignment of Episodes to Years  Years are assigned by the end of the first period of care in a patient's hospital stay.  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the graph in figure 15 of page 119 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy, published on 3 December 2007, how much and what proportion of funding has been spent under each heading in each year since 1997-98.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not routinely available.
	The estimated total national health service spend on cancer care represented in the graph on page 119 of the Cancer Reform Strategy was an analysis commissioned specifically for inclusion in the Strategy. It was based on a wide range of data from 2005-06, and the sources of this data are quoted in the Strategy. An estimated NHS spend on cancer care under the same categories of that graph is not available for any other years, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the use of exceptional case requests in England for anti-nausea treatments used to support patients receiving chemotherapy.

Mike O'Brien: We have made no such assessment.

Cancer: Screening

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to increase the uptake of screening for cancer in Staffordshire.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. It is for strategic health authorities and primary care trusts to determine how to most effectively meet the needs of their local populations.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the national awareness-raising campaign for vascular checks to commence;
	(2)  what further work his Department is undertaking on the choice of delivery options and roll-out plans for its vascular checks programme;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North Norfolk of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2165W, on cardiovascular system: screening, whether his Department is monitoring the settings from which vascular checks are being commissioned in each primary care trust area; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Government are committed to raising awareness but will consider the exact timing in light of the progress of implementing NHS Health Checks so as not to raise expectations before they can be fully met.
	The Department published Putting prevention firstvascular checks: risk assessment and managementnext steps guidance for primary care trusts on vascular checks in November 2008. It states that:
	'It is important that PCTs devise and use a model (of delivery) that is best suited to their population and that when doing so they consider tackling health inequalities that exist within their area'.
	A copy of this document has been placed in the Library.
	To ensure that the NHS Health Check programme is accessible to all those eligible, and to help reduce health inequalities, it has been designed so that the basic risk assessment and management components are suitable to be undertaken in a variety of settings, for example pharmacies and community centres as well as general practitioner (GP) practices. This means that people who are not in touch regularly with formal health care, particularly GP services, will be encouraged to access the checks at convenient locations and times. In addition to the guidance which the Department has already issued to primary care trusts (PCTs), it has been working with PCTs, through the Learning Network hosted by NHS Improvement, to help ensure that the experience and learning of developing and implementing different delivery models for the checks is shared across the country. The evaluation will consider the contribution that different providers of NHS Health Checks make to the delivery of the programme.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to inform primary care trusts of the unit costs of delivering vascular checks in different settings.

Ann Keen: The NHS Health Check impact assessment, a copy of has been which placed in the Library, breaks down the costs of the check into two main areas: costs of the personnel who perform the assessments and costs of various testing procedures. This information could be used, with local data, to estimate the cost of providing the NHS Health Check in various settings and by different personnel.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has undertaken market research on the settings in which different categories of patients may wish to receive vascular checks.

Ann Keen: A qualitative research project was commissioned by the Central Office of Information on behalf of the Department in October 2008 to consider the motivations and barriers to taking up an invitation to a check among higher risk groups. The primary purpose of this research was to help inform the development of the communications materials to support the NHS Health Check programme.
	General practice has a central role to play in delivering the NHS Health Check programme. This is because the patient record held by the general practitioners (GPs) will be the repository of all information generated by the NHS Heath Check and also GP surgeries have always been regarded as one of the principal settings for delivery of these health checks. However, some people prefer to access these types of services in different settings for reasons of convenience and so the check has designed so that it is suitable to be undertaken in a variety of settings, for example pharmacies and community centres as well as GP practices.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of his Department's guidelines for the treatment of myalgic encephalopathy compared to international best practice;
	(2)  what recent representations he has received on the revision of treatment guidelines for myalgic encephalopathy issued to trusts by his Department.

Ann Keen: The Department has not issued guidelines for the treatment of myalgic encephalopathy. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis were published in 2007 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. They would have responsibility for revising this guidance.

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence to publish its revised Citizen Engagement strategy.

Ann Keen: The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence published a Public Stakeholder Plan in November 2008, which is available on its website at:
	www.chre.org.uk/public/

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what travel costs patient and service user groups may reclaim from the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence when attending meetings of the Council.

Ann Keen: The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) provides travel costs for Council members, all of whom are lay, to attend council meetings. CHRE does not provide travel costs to patient and service user groups attending its public council meetings as observers. When the council holds consultative meetings to which it invites members of the public and representatives of patient and service user groups, it reimburses the travel costs of those who attend if they are self financing or unemployed.

Dental Services: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of  (a) adults and  (b) children without access to NHS dental services in (i) Barnsley and (ii) Doncaster in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to assess local need and demand for national health service dental services and commission the appropriate services.
	All 10 strategic health authorities have set themselves the aim of providing access to NHS dentistry for all who seek it by March 2011 at the latest. We are supporting PCTs to meet this aim with extra resourcesan 11 per cent. uplift in our dental funding allocations for 2008-09, and a further 8.5 per cent. uplift in total funds for 2009-10, which takes the total available for dental allocations to 2,257 million (net of patient charge income).
	We have also set up an expanded national dental access programme, headed by Dr. Mike Warburton an experienced clinician and manager, to support managers and clinicians to rapidly expand services where needed.
	NHS dental service in England: An independent review led by Professor Jimmy Steele, published on 22 June recommends a series of further actions to support access and quality. Piloting of the recommendations will begin from this autumn. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_101137

Dentistry: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS dentistry provision in  (a) Tamworth and  (b) Staffordshire.

Ann Keen: The numbers of courses of treatments (CoTs) and units of dental activity (UDAs) performed by national health service dentists, in England, are available in table C6 of annex 3 of the 'NHS Dental Statistics for England: Quarter 3, 31 December 2008' report. Information is available for 2006-07 and quarterly since 2007-08.
	Information on the number of patients seen in the most recent 24-month period is available in table D3 of annex 3 of the 'NHS Dental Statistics for England, Quarter 3, 31 December 2008' report. Information is provided at quarterly intervals from 31 March 2006 to 31 December 2008.
	This report, published on 21 May 2009, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the Information Centre for health and social care website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0809q3
	Information for the first three quarters of 2008-09 remain provisional as they are revised in each subsequent report to account for treatments reported too late for inclusion in the previous quarterly report. In the end of year report, published in the August following the end of the financial year, all quarterly activity data are revised for a final time.
	Further information on CoTs and UDAs is contained in the above report.
	The numbers of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2008 are available in table G1 of annex 3 of the 'NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007/08' report. This report, published on 21 August 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the Information Centre for health and social care website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708
	Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March.
	Workforce figures relate to headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
	Information in both reports is provided by primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA) but is not available by constituency. They are based on the PCT boundaries which came into effect on 1 October 2006.
	All 10 SHAs have set themselves the aim of providing access to NHS dentistry for all who seek it by March 2011 at the latest.
	We are supporting PCTs to meet this aim with extra resourcesan 11 per cent. uplift in our dental funding allocations for 2008-09, and a further 8.5 per cent. uplift in total funds for 2009-10, which takes the total available for dental allocations to 2,257 million (net of patient charge income).
	We have also set up an expanded national dental access programme, headed by Dr. Mike Warburton, an experienced clinician and manager, to support managers and clinicians to rapidly expand services where needed.
	The report of the Independent Review of Dentistry in England, 'NHS Dental Services in England', published on 22 June 2009, recommends a series of further actions to support access and quality. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Piloting of the recommendations will begin from this autumn.

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 113W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Phil Hope: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   
			  Non-departmental public bodies  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Alcohol Education Research Council 0 0 0 
			 Appointments Commission 0 0 0 
			 Care Quality Commission (With effect 1 September 2008) n/a n/a 0 
			 Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence 0 0 0 
			 General Social Care Council 0 0 0 
			 Health Protection Agency 0 0 0 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 0 99.88 0 
			 Human Tissue Authority 0 0 0 
			 Health and Social Care Information Centre 1,592.00 100.00 339.00 
			 Monitor 0 0 0 
			 National Patient Safety Agency 0 0 302.71 
			 NHS Blood and Transplant 0 0 0 
			 NHS Business Services Agency 0 0 0 
			 NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement 0 674.98 0 
			 NHS Litigation Authority 0 0 0 
			 NHS Professionals(1) 0 0 500.00 
			 National Institute Health and Clinical Excellence 0 0 0 
			 National Treatment Agency for Substance misuse 0 0 0 
			 Postgraduate Medical Education Training Board 0 0 0 
			 (1 )NHS Professionals are unable to specify exact amounts without disproportionate work, but it is known to be less than 500.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breaches of information security there have been at  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in the last five years.

Phil Hope: In the last five years the Department of Health has recorded one notifiable breach of information security.
	There were no reportable breaches for either of the Department's two executive agenciesthe Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).
	The Department and its agencies report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner (IC). Information on personal security data breaches are published on an annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as required under the mandatory requirements of the Data Handling Report published on 25 June 2008.
	The Department reported on the above personal data breach in its 2007-08 annual resource account, which can be found at
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/DH_089421
	A copy has been placed in the Library.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Phil Hope: The official responsible for the energy efficiency of the Department's estate is the Department's permanent secretary, Sir Hugh Taylor.

Departmental Legislation

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which provisions of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary legislation for which his Department is responsible in each of the last 10 years have yet to be brought into force.

Phil Hope: The request for information on secondary legislation could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Listed in the following table are Acts of Parliament introduced by the Department since 1999, which include some sections and schedules not yet brought into force:
	
		
			  Acts introduced by the Department of Health since 1999  Not yet in force 
			 Health Act 1999 (c.8) Section 61 
			 Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14) Section 64(1 )(a) and (3)-(5) Schedule 4 paragraphs 12, 14(10)(b), (22) and (29) Schedule 5 paragraphs 1 and 2 
			 Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Act 2003 (c.5) Section 14 
			 Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c.43) Section 107 Section 116(3) Schedule 14 part 6 
			 Health Act 2006 (c.28) Section 36(2) 
			 Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c.28) Section 233 (partially) Schedule 6 
			 Health and Social Care Act 2008 (c. 14) Section 2(2)(a) (partially) 
			  Section 12(6) 
			  Sections 13-15 
			  Section 17(2) 
			  Sections 23 and 24 
			  Section26(2) 
			  Section 28(4)(b), (5)-(7) 
			  Section 34(2)-(4) 
			  Section 41 
			  Sections 42 and 43 
			  Section 44 (partially) 
			  Section 45 
			  Section 49 
			  Section 66 (partially) 
			  Section 72 (partially) 
			  Section 95 (partially) 
			  Sections 98-110 
			  Sections 111 and 112(partially) 
			  Sections 119-122 
			  Section 123(1) and (2) 
			  Sections 124-126 
			  Section 127 (partially) 
			  Section 128 
			  Section 130 
			  Sections 139-141 
			  Sections 144-146 
			  Section 148 
			  Section 160 (partially) 
			  Schedule 4, paragraph 5 (partially) 
			  Schedule 5 paragraphs 2-6; 10-12; 14(b)(ii) and (d), 15,169a), 18, 19, 20(2)-(4),21.24(a), 26-28 and 31 
			  Schedule 6 
			  Schedule 7 
			  Schedule 8, paragraph 10 
			  Schedule 9 
			  Schedule 10, paragraphs 2(b),4(b),5(b), 6(a),7,9,13(b), 14, 15, 18 ,22 ,26 and 27 
			  Schedule 11 
			  Schedule 14 ,paragraphs 1 and 8 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 Sections 1-7 
			  Sections 9-13 
			  Section 14(2) and (4) 
			  Section 15(1),(2) and (4) 
			  Sections 16-18 
			  Section 20 
			  Sections 22 and 23 
			  Section 24 and 25 (partially) 
			  Sections 26-29 
			  Sections 31 and 32 
			  Sections 54 and 55 
			  Section 56 (partially) 
			  Section 57(3) and (4) 
			  Sections 59 and 60 
			  Schedules 1-3 and 5 
			  Schedule 6, paragraphs 37 and 38 
			  Schedule 7 paragraphs 1-14; 15(a) and (b),16 -25 
			  Schedule 8 (partially)

Departmental Pay

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how staff pay levels are agreed with Solace Enterprises for the NHS Flexible Resourcing Service; and how much staff at each level who are recruited through the service are paid per hour.

Ann Keen: The Department does not hold this information centrally. This is a matter for NHS Employers.

Doctors: Working Hours

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional doctors have been recruited since 2004 to enable compliance with the requirements of the European Working Time Directive; and how many he estimates will be so required from August 2009.

Ann Keen: The number of additional doctors needed to comply with European working time directive (EWTD) is not collected centrally. It is for trusts to determine how many doctors they require to deliver services within an EWTD compliant working environment.
	Since 2004 the number of doctors working in the national health service has increased by 16,119 (+13.8 per cent.). This figure excludes general practitioner retainers.

Domestic Accidents: North East

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were admitted to hospital as a result of an accident in the home in  (a) the North East,  (b) Teesside,  (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency and  (d) England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. Information on admissions to hospital for accidental injury is available, but the number of admissions for accidents in the home cannot be reliably identified.

Health Professions: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consult members of the public on the means by which health professional regulators are held to account to  (a) the public and  (b) Parliament might be achieved; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Extensive public consultation has already taken place through two reviews of professional regulation in 2006: 'Good doctors, safer patients' and 'The regulation of the non-medical health care professions'. Following these reviews the White Paper, 'Trust Assurance and SafetyThe Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century' was published in 2007, setting out a substantial programme of reform to the system of health care professional regulation.
	As part of this programme of work a working group, chaired by Niall Dickson, produced a number of recommendations about ways to enhance public confidence in the health care regulators.
	In 2008 and 2009 extensive reforms to the governance of the health care regulatory bodies was taken forward to provide for independently appointed councils with parity between lay and registrant members. These reforms also improved arrangements for accountability to Parliament. The health professions regulators are now required to produce an annual report and a strategic plan which must be laid before Parliament.
	The Minister of State for Health and Lord Darzi have also written to the Leaders of the House of Commons and House of Lords to recommend that Parliament establish a committee on professional regulation.

Heart Diseases: Health Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 473W, on heart diseases: health services, how many finished consultant episodes for congenital heart disease in those aged 16 years and older there were in each hospital trust in 2007-08.

Ann Keen: A table which shows how many finished consultant episodes for congenital heart disease for those aged 16 and over, by hospital provider, in 2007-08, has been placed in the Library.

Hospital Beds: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available to mental health patients in the South Essex Strategic Health Authority in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: Data are not collected in the format requested. Data are available for the South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of beds available to mental health patients in the South Essex area in each of the last five years( 1) 
			  South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust  Number 
			 2003-04 478 
			 2004-05 512 
			 2005-06 516 
			 2006-07 497 
			 2007-08 511 
			 (1) Average daily number of available beds in wards open overnight, mental illness sector.  Source: Department of Health form KH03

Hyperactivity

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent guidance his Department has issued to primary care trusts on the provision of services to adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people requiring treatment for adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and what recent research his Department has  (a) evaluated and  (b) commissioned on the (i) efficacy and (ii) cost-effectiveness of treatments for ADHD delivered by the NHS.

Phil Hope: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published clinical guidance in September 2008 (Clinical Guideline 72) on the diagnosis and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, young people and adults. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are expected to follow this guidance, although local service provision is a matter for individual PCTs.
	No departmental estimate has been made of the incidence of adult ADHD. NICE evaluated the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of ADHD treatments in preparing Clinical Guideline 72.

Hyperactivity

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider the merits of a strategy to support adults with adult deficit hyperactivity disorder akin to that for adults with autism.

Phil Hope: Guidance to help health care professionals in England to commission, together with other relevant agencies, an effective service for the diagnosis and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults (ADHD) was issued in September 2008 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
	The Department does not feel that the delivery of support for adults with deficit hyperactivity would be best met by developing a separate strategy and a copy of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance has been placed in the Library.

Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much his Department spent on the Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what remuneration was provided to members of the review team for the Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England.

Ann Keen: The review cost a total of 435,000. This figure remains an estimate as some invoices are still to be finalised.
	Remuneration for members of the review team was in the form of payments, where requested, to their employing organisations for their services and support costs. Payments to the employing organisations totalled 200,000.
	The following table showing the break down of the costs of the review includes the total payments to review members' employers. A document containing the information on the review costs has been placed in the Library. It is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Primarycare/Dental/DH_094048
	
		
			  Estimated costs of the independent review of national health service dental services in England 
			   Item  Total (000) 
			 February 2009 Qualitative research 54 
			 February-June 2009 Engagement events 139 
			 December 2008-June 2009 Review team travel and subsistence 22 
			 December 2008-June 2009 Payment to employers for services of review team members and support costs 200 
			 June 2009 Publication and launch costs 20 
			 Total  435 
			  Note: This is an estimate of the additional costs to the Department in supporting the review, incorporating estimates for some bills, which are yet to be finalised. Final costs for the review will be made available once these are complete.

Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost of running pilot schemes relating to recommendations of the Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England.

Ann Keen: It is too early to estimate the extra costs of piloting the review recommendations. Estimating costs will be part of the process of designing the pilots, which is now in development.

Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his timetable is for pilot schemes relating to recommendations of the Independent Review of NHS Dental Services in England.

Ann Keen: Piloting of the recommendations made by Professor Jimmy Steele, chair of the independent review of national health service dental services in England, will begin with selected new contracts that are currently being set up with the support of the dental access programme, in autumn of this year. Pilots involving existing contract holders on a voluntary basis will begin next year. The Department expects to run the pilots for at least 12 to 18 months, before evaluating the results and considering further roll out.
	NHS dental Services in England: An independent review led by Professor Jimmy Steele has already been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_101137

Intensive Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many episodes of intensive care treatment were provided by the NHS in 2008.

Mike O'Brien: Information on the number of episodes of intensive care treatment in England is not available centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Lung Cancer: Medical Treatments

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital trusts have fully implemented his Department's recommendations on the proportion of lung cancer patients who should receive active treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The national health service has fully implemented guidance on Improving Outcomes in Lung Cancer, which was published by the Department in 1998.
	As I advised the hon. Member in my written reply of 16 June 2009,  Official Report, column 226W, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issued guidelines, in 2005, on the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer patients.

Lymphoedema: Breast Cancer

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients were treated for lymphoedema in each year since 2004; how many of those patients received treatment after being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer; what plans the NHS has to change methods of collection of data on lymphoedema treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally.
	We currently have no plans to change the methods of data collection on lymphoedema treatment.

NHS Trusts: Mental Health

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what  (a) funding and  (b) facilities his Department has provided to NHS trusts for the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many people have been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) Teesside and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in the last 10 years.

Phil Hope: Decisions about the funding and provision of local services, including those for bi-polar disorder are for local national health service trusts.
	Since 2001-02, real terms investment in adult mental health services increased by 44 per cent. (or 1.7 billion) putting in place the services and staff needed to transform mental health services. The national health service spent 5.53 billion on these services in 2007-08 (3.844 billion in 2001-02).
	Information on the number of people diagnosed with bi-polar disorder in England is not collected centrally.
	The following table shows counts of finished consultant episodes for the period 1998-99 to 2007-08 for selected strategic health authorities in the north east and England as a whole for national health service hospitals and national health service commissioned activity in the independent sector where the primary diagnosis was bipolar affective disorder.
	
		
			  Counts of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where primary diagnosis was bipolar affective disorder (ICD-10 Code= F31): Activity in English national health service hospitals and English national health service commissioned activity in the independent sector. Data years 1998-99 to 2007-08 
			   Selected strategic health authorities  England 
			 1998-99(1) 865 12,767 
			 1999-2000(1) 675 12,980 
			 2000-01(1) 652 12,996 
			 2001-02(1) 842 13,727 
			 2002-03(1) 617 14,422 
			 2003-04(1) 844 13,839 
			 2004-05(1) 765 14,179 
			 2005-06(1) 658 12,993 
			 2006-07(2) 860 12,871 
			 2007-08(2) 324 12,716 
			  Notes:  Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is defined as a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider, FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. The figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year.  Selected strategic health authorities (SHAs) (1) Counts for SHAs include patients whose SHA of residence was Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA and County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic HA for each year between 1998-99 and 2005-06. (2) Counts for SHAs include patients whose SHA of residence was North East Strategic HA for each year between 2006-07 and 2007-08.  Primary care trust (PCT)/SHA data quality PCT and SHA data was added to historic data years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of treatment and SHA of treatment is poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of general practitioner (GP) practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.  Data quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by more than 300 national health service trusts and PCTs in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English national health service. The National Health Service Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the national health service have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in national health service practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The National Health Service Information Centre for health and social care

NHS: Death Rates

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 628W, on NHS: death rates, what the names are of the trusts concerned in each of the 85 alerts.

Mike O'Brien: The Care Quality Commission, which took over from the Healthcare Commission on 1 April 2009, has informed us that they intend to publish information on alerts, including the names of the trusts involved, once the case is closed. A case is closed once the alert has been reviewed and concluded upon and any necessary action plan is in place. 75 out of the 85 alerts are closed and the Care Quality Commission will publish this information within the next few weeks.

NHS: Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 494, on NHS debts, what the amount is of each loan provided by his Department to NHS trusts; what interest rate is payable on each; and what the expected redemption date is of each.

Mike O'Brien: The Department makes loans for capital investment and for working capital to national health service trusts. Details of originating loan amount, associated interest rate and expected redemption date for each outstanding loans are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Loan value, interest rate and expected redemption date on current loans to NHS trusts from the Department of Health 
			  NHS  t rust name  Original loan value (000)  National loan fund rate( 1)  (percentage)  Expected full settlement date( 2) 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 3,000 4.85 15 March 2018 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust 3,480 4.86 15 September 2015 
			 Rob Jones and a Hunt Orthopaedic NHS Trust 500 4.85 15 September 2017 
			 North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust 700 4.88 15 March 2015 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 7,500 4.19 15 March 2018 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 6,141 4.19 15 March 2018 
			 West Hertfordshire NHS Trust 13,500 5.40 15 March 2018 
			 West Hertfordshire NHS Trust 13,500 5.40 15 March 2018 
			 Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 7,000 4.88 15 September 2013 
			 South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,454 4.88 15 September 2013 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 8,000 4.85 15 September 2018 
			 Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust 2,460 2.82 15 March 2014 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 1,500 3.48 15 March 2019 
			 South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,551 3.48 15 March 2019 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 12,300 3.65 15 March 2029 
			 Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 800 2.69 15 March 2019 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 7,900 2.69 15 March 2019 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 7,000 2.69 15 March 2019 
			 North Cumbria Acute Hospital NHS Trust 400 5.10 15 March 2022 
			 Scarborough and North East Yorks NHS Trust 765 5.20 15 March 2012 
			 St George Healthcare NHS Trust 250 5.20 15 March 2012 
			 Western Sussex NHS Trust 1,063 5.15 15 March 2015 
			 North Cumbria Acute Hospital NHS Trust 400 4.34 15 March 2022 
			 Scarborough and North East Yorks NHS Trust 764 3.98 15 March 2012 
			 St George Healthcare NHS Trust 4,550 3.98 15 March 2012 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust 1,782 3.97 15 March 2011 
			 Western Sussex NHS Trust 1,063 4.07 15 March 2015 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 4,888 4.01 15 March 2013 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 2,597 1.16 15 March 2011 
			 Western Area NHS Trust 800 . 1.40 15 March 2012 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 7,000 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 1,700 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 12,000 5.20 15 March 2022 
			 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust 6,500 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Scarborough and North East Yorks NHS Trust 7,646 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 10,896 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 South Warwickshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 18,500 5.35 15 March 2015 
			 Rob Jones and a Hunt Orthopaedic NHS Trust 3,400 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 3,279 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 6,800 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 25,000 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 12,299 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust 6,300 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 23,400 5.35 15 March 2014 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 1,950 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 23,400 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 13,650 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 11,200 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 7,800 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 15,000 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 26,294 5.30 15 March 2016 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 11,000 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 34,000 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 23,830 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 17,500 5.45 15 March 2011 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 14,000 5.50 15 March 2010 
			 Western Sussex NHS Trust 17,005 5.35 15 March 2015 
			 Western Sussex NHS Trust 23,000 5.20 15 March 2021 
			 Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust 14,700 5.40 15 March 2013 
			 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 56,000 4.95 15 March 2032 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 4,000 5.45 15 March 2011 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 29,322 5.40 15 March 2013 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 25,000 5.45 15 March 2011 
			 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 5,000 5.45 15 March 2011 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 19,986 5.40 15 March 2013 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 38,000 5.05 15 March 2027 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 52,000 5.05 15 March 2027 
			 Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 5,000 5.45 15 March 2012 
			 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 3,000 4.19 15 March 2018 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 31,400 5.29 15 March 2011 
			 University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 16,000 5.31 15 March 2013 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 5,500 5.31 15 March 2013 
			 Weston Area Health Authority 14,300 5.32 15 March 2015 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 46,125 5.32 15 March 2015 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 17,000 5.31 15 March 2013 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 5,000 4.69 15 September 2013 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 2,000 0.82 15 September 2009 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 2,533 2.39 15 March 2017 
			 (1) Fixed for term (2) Redemption date

NHS: Manpower

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what central agreements the NHS has entered into for the supply of temporary workers to NHS organisations; what rates of pay have been set through such central agreements; and how many temporary staff have been employed through them.

Ann Keen: The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) has negotiated the following national framework agreements on behalf of the national health service:
	Medical Locums;
	Nursing;
	Allied Health Professionals and Health Science Service staff;
	Professional and Administrative Services; and
	Ancillary
	All agreements for temporary staffing negotiated by NHS PASA are subject to national conditions and terms of contract, which are designed to protect the NHS. All participating national framework suppliers are required to commit to and sign up to the national terms negotiated.
	NHS PASA framework agreements are not mandated for use within the NHS and trusts at their own discretion can elect to establish their own local contractual arrangements for the supply of temporary staff.
	Due to the NHS being the predominant purchaser of clinical temporary staff, these central agreements are not able to set the rates of pay for such temporary staff. However, Framework Agencies have undergone a public procurement process that encourages ensures that the hourly pay rates awarded are:
	cost effective and best value for money for the NHS;
	competitive within the marketplace; and that they are
	sustainable, in terms of Framework Agency resilience during challenging economic climates and attractiveness to the temporary staff employed.
	There is therefore a range of hourly pay rates available through these central agreements and it is the choice of the NHS body to determine which Framework Agency or other temporary staff provider used to meet their local requirements. These rates do not contravene any Minimum Wage Act or Equal Pay Act legislative compliance.
	Information on the number of staff supplied through the framework agreements is not collected centrally but the number of hours supplied to the NHS through the frameworks over a 12 month period from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 (data provided is an extrapolation of data provided from 1 April 2008 to 31 December 2008) is in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Medical locums 2,696,341 
			 Nursing 6,087,209 
			 Allied Health Professionals 1,999,240 
			 Health Science Service Staff 1,013,188 
			 Professional and Administrative Services 15,633,410 
			 Ancillary 1,258,342 
		
	
	NHS PASA do not collect data from non-framework agencies, so the data do not provide coverage of NHS trusts electing not to use their framework agreements or local procurement arrangements.

NHS: Manpower

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when NHS Employers entered into an agreement with Solace Enterprises to provide the NHS Flexible Resourcing Service; how much has been spent by each NHS organisation on interim staff employed through the service; and how many interim staff have been employed by each NHS organisation through the service.

Ann Keen: The Department does not collect these data centrally. This is a matter for NHS Employers.

NHS: Reserve Forces

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support the NHS provides to staff who wish to volunteer for the Reserve Forces; and what guidance his Department provides to the NHS on the matter.

Ann Keen: The Healthy Workplaces Handbook published by NHS Employers in 2007 includes advice for employers and employees on issues that should be considered in respect of staff who wish to undertake voluntary activities that may impact on their national health service work. A copy of the relevant section has been placed in the Library. In 2004, the Department published Improving Working Lives: The Value of supporting staff who volunteer which was designed to persuade NHS employers to encourage volunteering by their staff and includes a section on the volunteer reserve forces. A copy of this has been placed in the Library.

NHS: Standards

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of central targets which the NHS has to meet.

Mike O'Brien: The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2009-10 set no new national targets. On 30 June 2009, my noble Friend (Lord Darzi) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State published High Quality Care for All: Our journey so far, which confirmed our intention to minimise the burden on frontline staff by reducing unnecessary data collection and removing obsolete targets and commitments.

Nurses: Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's target for the number of school nurses is; what his most recent assessment is of progress in meeting that target; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Public Health White Paper, Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier, published in November 2004, included the commitment to provide new funding so that by 2010 every primary care trust, working with children's trusts and local authorities, will be resourced to have at least one full-time, year-round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and the related secondary school, taking account of health needs and school populations.
	There are around 3,000 state secondary schools in England. The 2008 NHS Workforce Census showed there were 3,643 qualified nurses in school nursing areas, an increase of 51 per cent. since 2004. Of these, there were 1,447 school nurses with a post registration school nurse qualification. This is an increase of 591 or 69 per cent. since 2004.

Parliamentary Bulletins

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amendments  (a) he has and  (b) officials in his Department have proposed to draft parliamentary bulletins to be issued by the (i) agencies and (ii) non-Ministerial department overseen by his Department in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: No changes have been requested by departmental Ministers to draft parliamentary bulletins to be issued by its agencies and arms length bodies. Departmental officials proposed one amendment to a draft bulletin from the Appointments Commission: an amendment was requested to the first edition of Westminster (issue 1 Winter 08/09), and a reference to chairs' remuneration was removed from the bulletin prior to publication.
	The Food Standards Agency, a non-ministerial Government Department, produces regular parliamentary bulletins. The Secretary of State, Ministers and departmental officials have on occasion proposed minor amendments but no records are kept of such requests.

Primary Care Trusts: Aiming High

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to involve parents in the  (a) planning and  (b) delivery of Aiming High commissioning by primary care trusts;
	(2)  what mechanisms are in place to ensure that funding allocated to primary care trusts for Aiming High short breaks is spent on short break services.

Phil Hope: We are putting in place a number of measures to encourage primary care trusts (PCTs) and local authorities (LA) to involve parents in the planning and delivery of services for disabled children. This includes 500,000 in 2008-09, rising to 1.5 million in 2009-10, available to LAs for the support for parent forums. Parent forums give an opportunity to parents of disabled children to express their views on the services they receive.
	We have also introduced an indicator to measure parental satisfaction with services for disabled children. This will reflect results for each PCT and LA against all five of the Aiming High for Disabled Children core offer standards.
	In Healthy lives, brighter futuresthe strategy for children and young people's health a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, we confirmed 340 million NHS funding over three years for services for disabled children, including short breaks. The funding is in included in PCT baselines. The 2009-10 NHS Operating Framework challenges PCTs to review their service offer in line with Healthy lives, brighter futures (published February 2009) and reflect any amendments in their Operational Plans. Following publication of Healthy lives, brighter futures we have mandated a local statement by PCTs setting out their actions on services for disabled children, either alone or in partnership with the local strategic partnership, alongside their performance against the full set of vital signs in 2008-09.

Primary Care Trusts: North West

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the change in the tariff of  (a) NHS East Lancashire Primary Care Trust and  (b) other primary care trusts in the North West needed to pay for hospital services in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department has estimated the change in hospital national tariff income and the resulting change in primary care trust (PCT) expenditure between 2008-09 and 2009-10 that is due to changes to the tariff in 2009-10. This is shown in the following table for the East Lancashire Teaching PCT and other PCTs in the North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area.
	As the analysis uses historical activity data from 2006-07 and 2007-08, national assumptions which may vary locally, and historical estimates of PCT commissioning patterns, it can only be an estimate of the changes to PCT expenditure in 2009-10 for services covered by the national tariff.
	
		
			  Impact analysis of change in expenditure due to national tariff changes in 2009-10 for PCTs in the North West SHA area 
			  PCT  Estimated change in expenditure in 2009-10 ( million) 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 6.2 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 1.0 
			 Blackpool PCT -0.9 
			 Bolton PCT 3.8 
			 Bury PCT 2.7 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT -0.8 
			 Central Lancashire PCT -2.3 
			 Cumbria Teaching PCT -1.7 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 2.6 
			 Halton and St. Helens PCT 0.9 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 3.3 
			 Knowsley PCT 1.1 
			 Liverpool PCT 6.3 
			 Manchester PCT -2.1 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT -2.4 
			 Oldham PCT 3.8 
			 Salford PCT 3.6 
			 Sefton PCT 4.2 
			 Stockport PCT -1.0 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 2.6 
			 Trafford PCT -0.5 
			 Warrington PCT 0.8 
			 Western Cheshire PCX -0.8 
			 Wirral PCT -4.6 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are in 2008-09 prices. 2. A positive figure represents an increase in expenditure. A negative figure represents a decrease in expenditure. 3. Figures include the effect of the introduction of the new market forces factor. 4. Based on historical activity from 2007-08 (in-patients and day cases) and 2006-07 (out-patients).  5. Based on scope of 2009-10 tariff on a like-for-like activity basis. 6. Some activity data has been removed from the analysis due to issues with data quality. 7. Assumes no change in income for accident and emergency between 2008-09 and 2009-10. 8. Uses national assumptions, in particular on the effect of non-mandatory out-patient procedures. 9. 2009-10 income does not include top-ups applied to long stayexcess bed days. 10. Costs for unbundled outpatients diagnostic imaging have been added into 2009-10 figures by provider. 11. Change in national health service provider income mapped to PCTs using a purchaser provider matrix based on 2007-08 admitted patient care tariff applied to 2005-06 converted hospital episode statistics (HES).

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to page 50 of his Department's report, Vascular checks: risk assessment and management, when he expects  (a) to publish guidance to primary care trusts on health inequalities and  (b) the test bed sites in Spearhead primary care trusts to become operational.

Ann Keen: Since the publication of the report referred to by the hon. Member the Department has published two guidance documents for primary care trusts on the implementation of the NHS Health Check Programme. 'Next Steps' Guidance for Primary Care Trusts was published in November 2008. The NHS Health Check: Vascular Risk Assessment and Management Best Practice Guidance was published in April 2009. Both guidance documents contain material relevant to health inequalities and copies have already been placed in the Library. Next Steps outlines how the Health Checks Programme (at that stage still referred to as Vascular Checks) fits the Department's wider aims on tackling health inequalities.

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to page 32 of his Department's report, Vascular checks: risk assessment and management, when he expects his Department's call and recall system to become operational.

Ann Keen: We are currently working on the development of a call and recall system with a view to having it in place during 2012-13.

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to page 27 of his Department's report, Vascular checks: risk assessment and management, what guidance has been issued to primary care trusts on providing training in order that staff can most effectively convey an understanding of the risks revealed by the NHS health check.

Ann Keen: The NHS Health Check: Vascular Risk Assessment and Management Best Practice Guidance, published in April 2009, addresses workforce and training issues. A copy has already been placed in the Library. In addition, we have made training available, at no cost to primary care trusts (PCTs), to support the delivery of the programme. This training includes how to communicate a person's risk of vascular disease in a way that is understandable. In addition, PCTs are developing their own materials to support those conducting the risk assessment element of the NHS Health Check and help explain to people what their risk score means. We are sharing examples of these approaches through the Learning Network.

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for deciding that 40 years will be the lower age limit for the NHS health check.

Ann Keen: To support the development of the NHS Health Check, the Department undertook modelling work to better understand the likely cost and clinical effectiveness of the programme. Both the technical consultation on the modelling and the impact assessment have been placed in the Library. This work identified that a national five-year call and recall programme for those aged between 40 and 74 was both clinically and cost effective.
	We understand that within some primary care trusts (PCTs), calling people into the programme earlier from particular communities may have additional benefits, for example, where PCTs have significant South Asian communities. This scenario was not tested through the modelling. However, PCTs can decide to extend the programme if they wish, where they anticipate that additional benefits will accrue.

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the cost of providing an IT support system for the NHS health check.

Ann Keen: Work is in hand to define the information technology requirements to support the delivery of the NHS Health Checks programme. Costs will depend on which option is chosen to deliver it.

Smoking

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consult the public on their views on exemptions to the prohibition in smoking in public places for pubs and clubs; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Before the introduction of the smoke free law in England a commitment was given to complete a review after three years. The review will be carried out in 2010.

Social Services: Applications

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for health and social care support services were refused following a positive assessment of need by a specialist in  (a) England,  (b) Essex and  (c) Castle Point in each of the last three years.

Phil Hope: This information is not collected.

Standing Commission on Carers

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates the Standing Commission on Carers has met; and if he will publish the minutes of each meeting.

Phil Hope: The Standing Commission on Carers has met 11 times since its establishment in September 2007. The dates were:
	 2007
	12 December
	 2008
	11 January
	23 January
	20 February
	28 April
	2 July
	16 December
	 2009
	25 February
	1 April
	28 April
	23 June
	The Standing Commission on Carers will place details of the proceedings of these meetings on its website by 31 July:
	www.dh.gov.uk/ab/SCOC/index.htm
	Appointments are now being made to the Standing Commission on Carers in accordance with guidance from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Details of the next phase of the Commission's work will also be placed on the Commission's website.

Thrombosis: Hospitals

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 80-4W, on death certificates, what estimate he has made of the proportion of cases of fatal thrombosis which have been acquired during a hospital stay; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The information is not currently available. We are working with the Office for National Statistics on this issue.